President Donald Trump at the White House on June 21, 2018, in Washington, DC. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Trump Accused of 'Manufacturing' Crisis By Slashing Aid to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador
"This will create more refugees. This is the exact opposite of what we should be doing."
In a move that was immediately denounced as "cruel" and counterproductive, the Trump State Department on Saturday confirmed that it is cutting off hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
"Cutting foreign aid to Central America is the absolute last thing the Trump administration should do right now," Vicki Gass, senior policy advisor for Central America and Mexico with Oxfam America, said in a statement. "Not only is it morally wrong, it also counters efforts to address the root causes behind migration."
"While not surprising, we still must call out how cold, callous, and inhumane this is."
--Kristen Clarke, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
"Aid cuts would be devastating to the region and would only foster the same instability that is making people flee in the first place," Gass added.
The decision to slash around $500 million in aid to the three Central American nations comes as President Donald Trump is threatening to "close" the U.S.-Mexico border.
Critics argued that Trump's aid cuts to El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala will worsen economic hardship in those nations and force more people to flee out of desperation.
"This will create more refugees. This is the exact opposite of what we should be doing," tweeted journalist Thor Benson.
Some observers accused the president of manufacturing a crisis at the border for political gain.
"Making desperate people even more desperate and less able to stay in their own countries... It's almost as if Trump wants more asylum seekers at the U.S. border," Andrew Stroehlein, European media director with Human Rights Watch, tweeted on Sunday. "As if he wants more media images that he will then twist for his fear-mongering."
"While not surprising, we still must call out how cold, callous, and inhumane this is," wrote Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "These are among the poorest parts of Central America."
According to the Washington Post, the president's move "would affect nearly $500 million in 2018 funds and millions more left over from the prior fiscal year. The money was destined for Central America but has not yet been spent."
"This is governance by tantrum," tweeted Vox immigration reporter Dara Lind. "[H]ard to overstate how much this threatens to throw off regional dynamics."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
In a move that was immediately denounced as "cruel" and counterproductive, the Trump State Department on Saturday confirmed that it is cutting off hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
"Cutting foreign aid to Central America is the absolute last thing the Trump administration should do right now," Vicki Gass, senior policy advisor for Central America and Mexico with Oxfam America, said in a statement. "Not only is it morally wrong, it also counters efforts to address the root causes behind migration."
"While not surprising, we still must call out how cold, callous, and inhumane this is."
--Kristen Clarke, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
"Aid cuts would be devastating to the region and would only foster the same instability that is making people flee in the first place," Gass added.
The decision to slash around $500 million in aid to the three Central American nations comes as President Donald Trump is threatening to "close" the U.S.-Mexico border.
Critics argued that Trump's aid cuts to El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala will worsen economic hardship in those nations and force more people to flee out of desperation.
"This will create more refugees. This is the exact opposite of what we should be doing," tweeted journalist Thor Benson.
Some observers accused the president of manufacturing a crisis at the border for political gain.
"Making desperate people even more desperate and less able to stay in their own countries... It's almost as if Trump wants more asylum seekers at the U.S. border," Andrew Stroehlein, European media director with Human Rights Watch, tweeted on Sunday. "As if he wants more media images that he will then twist for his fear-mongering."
"While not surprising, we still must call out how cold, callous, and inhumane this is," wrote Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "These are among the poorest parts of Central America."
According to the Washington Post, the president's move "would affect nearly $500 million in 2018 funds and millions more left over from the prior fiscal year. The money was destined for Central America but has not yet been spent."
"This is governance by tantrum," tweeted Vox immigration reporter Dara Lind. "[H]ard to overstate how much this threatens to throw off regional dynamics."
In a move that was immediately denounced as "cruel" and counterproductive, the Trump State Department on Saturday confirmed that it is cutting off hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
"Cutting foreign aid to Central America is the absolute last thing the Trump administration should do right now," Vicki Gass, senior policy advisor for Central America and Mexico with Oxfam America, said in a statement. "Not only is it morally wrong, it also counters efforts to address the root causes behind migration."
"While not surprising, we still must call out how cold, callous, and inhumane this is."
--Kristen Clarke, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
"Aid cuts would be devastating to the region and would only foster the same instability that is making people flee in the first place," Gass added.
The decision to slash around $500 million in aid to the three Central American nations comes as President Donald Trump is threatening to "close" the U.S.-Mexico border.
Critics argued that Trump's aid cuts to El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala will worsen economic hardship in those nations and force more people to flee out of desperation.
"This will create more refugees. This is the exact opposite of what we should be doing," tweeted journalist Thor Benson.
Some observers accused the president of manufacturing a crisis at the border for political gain.
"Making desperate people even more desperate and less able to stay in their own countries... It's almost as if Trump wants more asylum seekers at the U.S. border," Andrew Stroehlein, European media director with Human Rights Watch, tweeted on Sunday. "As if he wants more media images that he will then twist for his fear-mongering."
"While not surprising, we still must call out how cold, callous, and inhumane this is," wrote Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "These are among the poorest parts of Central America."
According to the Washington Post, the president's move "would affect nearly $500 million in 2018 funds and millions more left over from the prior fiscal year. The money was destined for Central America but has not yet been spent."
"This is governance by tantrum," tweeted Vox immigration reporter Dara Lind. "[H]ard to overstate how much this threatens to throw off regional dynamics."