The new Presidential Administration launches its tenure with devastating Executive Orders on Climate, Immigration, Public Health, and Due Process, Contradicting GL community values
WASHINGTON — On Monday, January 20th, Donald J. Trump was sworn into office as our nation’s 47th President. Immediately after taking hold of the Oval Office, Trump signed several Executive Orders on climate, the environment, and immigration that will have devastating consequences on the Latino/a/e community.
In response to the enactment of these Executive Actions, GreenLatinos staff released the following statements:
“The Trump Presidency and its agenda, alongside its billionaire oligarchs, will not only exacerbate the climate crisis but will ensure that economic, immigrant, and social injustice runs rampant in our country. The low-income, disadvantaged communities we serve are the fabric of our nation. They are the bedrock of the values this country cherishes. The Executive Orders signed in the first week in office indicate that no one in our community is safe from attacks. GreenLatinos reaffirms its commitment to our gente and will continue to uplift the work of our partners and members while holding safe spaces for those directly impacted by these new actions. We will also continue to make resources available for those who need them. In these dark and uncertain times, we will continue to be a space for the community to support one another. We have been under attack before, and with love, joy, and hope, we will come closer together to survive and thrive through it all.” - Mark Magaña, GreenLatinos Founding President & CEO
“In the face of sweeping federal rollbacks, state-level action has become more critical than ever. States are where bold ideas become policies that protect our communities and our planet. At GreenLatinos, we believe grassroots advocacy at both state and federal levels drives the systemic changes needed to address the climate crisis and advance environmental justice—because the fight for a sustainable future begins with collective action.” - Ean Thomas Tafoya, GreenLatinos Vice President of State Programs
“The Trump Administration’s policy to block wind energy infrastructure construction directly conflicts with energy security and will make household energy costs unaffordable. Public land should not be leased for costly, dirty energy infrastructure operations that make Latino communities sick. With thorough public review, wind and solar energy infrastructure - especially community rooftop solar projects - can fuel the nation while providing jobs that keep families healthy and living a high quality of life. President Trump's policies threaten job security for the 79,000 Latino workers employed in clean energy in 2023.” - Olivia Juarez, GreenLatinos Public Land Program Director
“We are deeply concerned about the harmful environmental and economic impacts that will face communities across the country as a result of the transportation provisions in the Unleashing American Energy executive order. Transportation accounts for 29% of greenhouse gas emissions—more than any other sector in the US. Weakening clean vehicle standards will expose American families to significantly more toxic air pollution from vehicle exhaust, exacerbating the risks of potentially fatal health conditions, asthma, lung and heart disease, and cancer. Specifically, our comunidad is pollution burdened and experiences disproportionate harm from toxic tailpipe pollution, and higher rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Eradicating clean vehicle and fuel economy standards would cause more than 8.9 billion tons of additional climate pollution to be emitted into the atmosphere by 2055, the equivalent of running 213 typical coal power plants for 100 years. The impact of this EO is not only environmentally harmful, it is costly. For transportation alone, rolling back the clean vehicle standards will cost Americans approximately $112 billion in annualized net damages (including increased emissions, public health harm, lost economic activity, and increased costs to consumers, and rolling back the fuel economy standards would result in an additional $48 billion in aggregated net societal costs.” - Andrea Marpillero-Colomina, PhD., GreenLatinos Policy, Research, and Data Analytics Advisor
“With ongoing climate disasters impacting thousands of people throughout the United States, President Trump's plan to challenge the EPA's mandate under the Clean Air Act to reduce climate- and health-harming pollution, as well as his decisions to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and commitment to 30x30, will only exacerbate these detrimental impacts of the climate crisis. Communities of color have continued to bear the disproportionate burden of environmental degradation, with most Latinos living in states on the frontlines of climate change. This regression away from environmental justice policies puts our communities at risk of more extreme weather events — such as superstorms, deadly wildfires, droughts, and floods — potentially costing billions of dollars, loss of biodiversity and natural areas, and said communities’ well-being.” - Dr. Val Z. Schull, GreenLatinos Water Equity and Ocean Program Director
“President Trump’s first week Executive Orders are a betrayal of the basic priorities all living beings deserve – affordable goods and energy, good-paying jobs, and healthy, safe communities. His decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement, leave the World Health Organization, and issue anti-immigration orders is a direct attack on the health, safety, and dignity of millions. Additionally, his efforts to halt the Inflation Reduction Act, dismantle Justice40 initiatives, gut the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and unleash oil and gas drilling put polluters over people. These actions threaten to worsen the climate crisis, raise energy costs, increase pollution, and strip frontline communities of critical protections and investments. Latino and other historically overburdened communities will suffer the most as protections are rolled back, clean energy progress is stifled, and fossil fuel profits are prioritized. GreenLatinos will fight this anti-climate, anti-health, and anti-justice agenda and advocate for policies that build a healthier, more just, and sustainable future for all.” - Irene Burga, GreenLatinos Climate Justice and Clean Air Program Director
“We are disappointed to see the slew of executive orders announced on first week, intended to cause chaos and confusion. While the Trump Administration knows well that they are going beyond their legal limitations, they are intended to cause fear and doubt in our communities. Given the broad strokes of the announcements in Trump’s first week, many people will suffer across the board, and the communities we serve will face disproportionate impacts, as they already do around pollution, health, and safety. We will continue to fight for justice and to protect the most vulnerable.” - Dr. Carmen Orozco-Acosta, GreenLatinos Sustainable Communities Program Director
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