Washington, D.C. – Mustafa Santiago Ali, Senior Vice President for Climate, Environmental Justice, & Community Revitalization at Hip Hop Caucus, issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s decision to shutdown the federal government.

“President Trump is failing America by choosing politics instead of people. He had the opportunity to support a bipartisan agreement, but chose not to. His decision is an affront to our democracy that will cause harm to the people he is supposed to serve.

Our most vulnerable communities are now at an even greater risk. His decision weakens America’s ability to fight the opioid epidemic, fix the pipes in Flint, and help our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands recover and rebuild from record hurricanes. It also leaves 9 million kids who depend on the Children’s Health Insurance Program out in the cold and threatens the fate of 800,000 DREAMers who are family, friends, and hardworking members of our communities.

Make no mistake: the Trump shutdown is bad for everyone and could have been avoided. While our President continues to undermine our democracy, taxpayers, and communities, people are rising up to organize, take action, and hold our elected officials accountable. This is a critical time for our country and Hip Hop Caucus stands with the people and leaders that are using their power to move all of our communities from surviving to thriving.”

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