Latino Caucus condemns Rauner’s readiness to send National Guard to border

SPRINGFIELD –The Illinois senate passed a resolution today condemning Gov. Bruce Rauner’s statement that he would comply should President Donald Trump order Illinois National Guard soldiers to the Mexican border.
State Senator Martin A. Sandoval (D-Chicago), son of immigrants and Illinois Latino Caucus co-chair, sponsored the measure, Senate Resolution 1593, and had strong words for the governor.

“Gov. Rauner’s inability to stand up against the president’s racism and intolerance of the immigrant community is shameful,” Sandoval said. “Sending Illinois National Guard soldiers to the border is a misuse of taxpayer dollars, a disservice to Illinoisans who may need their services and insulting to a nation our state has strong ties to. Our immigrant communities deserve better from the governor.”

The Illinois National Guard helps Illinoisans during floods, snowstorms, tornadoes and other disasters. Its mission is to “provide trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies or as otherwise provided by state law,” and it is only called by the president to serve outside the state in emergencies or dire situations.

Assistant Senate Majority Leader Tony Munoz (D-Chicago), who served in the U.S. Army, said the border situation does not constitute and emergency that would require deployment of the National Guard.

“We should be working to protect our state’s immigrant communities from the president’s harmful and irrational policies,” Munoz said. “In this case, our National Guardsmen can better serve Illinoisans from within our state’s borders.”

Other situations warranting deployment of the National Guard include the ongoing War on Terror, which has been utilizing Guardsmen since America was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Assistant Majority Leader Iris Martinez (D-Chicago), another Latino Caucus member, said the situations are nowhere near equal.

“Sending the military to the border is yet another example of the president’s racist attitude towards immigrants,” Martinez said.  “He intends to treat immigrants like dangerous criminals rather than hardworking people looking for a better life. And Governor Rauner’s willingness to send troops from Illinois demonstrates his inability to stand up for what’s right.”

Other Latino Caucus members also weighed in on Rauner’s statement:

“Gov. Rauner’s support for sending Illinois National Guard troops to carry out President Trump’s deranged immigration policies demonstrates the governor’s open hostility toward communities in my district. This would be an irresponsible attempt to use taxpayer resources to distract the world from the president’s personal and professional scandals,” Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago) said.

“The members of the Illinois National Guard are a well-trained group ready to take on numerous responsibilities. Providing political cover for the president’s growing personal scandals should not be one of them. It is irresponsible of Gov. Rauner to use our National Guard to help further the president’s agenda,” Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) said.