Rep. Vargas Urging President Trump to Stop Border Wall Construction
Washington, D.C. (April 9, 2020) – Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement after joining his colleagues to send a letter to the White House and Trump administration requesting that border wall construction come to a halt in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“This week I joined my colleagues in sending a letter to the White House and the administration to stop all border wall construction in the best interest of construction workers, their families, and our border communities.
“I am concerned that the Department of Homeland Security is devoting its resources to border wall construction rather than focusing on supporting local healthcare providers during this public health crisis. Our nation is confronting an unprecedented pandemic, we need to prioritize our resources and efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.
“Construction workers travel from all over our country to work on the border wall. It’s my understanding that current working conditions are not following measures recommended by the CDC. If this is true, families and workers in rural and border communities are at risk of an increase in COVID-19 cases.
Vargas represents California’s 51st Congressional District which includes the southern portion of San Diego County, all of Imperial County and California’s entire U.S.-Mexico border. Vargas was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and is currently serving his fourth term in Congress. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee.
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