El Paso Abortion Fund Responds to Trump Visit Announcement
EL PASO, TEXAS – After giving a dishonest State of the Union address targeting one of the safest cities in the United States and denigrating people who have abortions, President Trump announced he will be visiting our city on Monday. El Paso is situated at the corner of the US/Mexico Border and New Mexico state line. West Fund denounces President Trump’s attempt to divide our community, and honors migration as an integral piece of our border community.
Said Lili Gomez, West Fund Outreach Director:
“El Paso has always been a safe city, and President Trump’s comments made during the State of the Union in an attempt to evoke fear and excite his base hurt people, families and our communities. We are appalled that not 24 hours later he would think he’d be welcome in our city. Over the last few weeks, Trump has not only exploited immigrants and their families on his own properties and for political gain, but he has also spread outright lies about abortion. ‘
At West Fund, we serve everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, immigration status or political affiliation. A majority of our callers are already parents who have to navigate a slew of abortion restrictions and may ultimately be forced to access healthcare out-of-state. The process is already hard and becomes that much harder for immigrants who have to worry about checkpoints, border patrol and law enforcement. Our most vulnerable populations are being forced into the shadows and risk their own safety when they prolong or avoid access to healthcare for fear of deportation or family separation. It’s not enough to target immigrants, now Trump is targeting entire thriving border communities - at the cost of biological, environmental, and cultural ecosystems - for a wall.
As an organization that provides financial support for border region residents seeking abortion care, we will not stand idly by while Trump and members of his administration bring their hateful agenda to our community. Border communities are among the safest in the nation. Instead of building a wall, money and resources could be spent increasing access to contraceptives, family planning services, affordable higher education, student loan forgiveness, investing in green energy, demilitarizing the border, gun reform, funding for underserved areas - like the colonias in El Paso County which lack basic water and sewage infrastructure - and of course, comprehensive immigration reform. West Fund believes we can live in a country where all people have the economic, social and political power to make healthy choices about their bodies, families, and relationships.
To quote our local Congressional Representative, “no mames.” We are better than hateful rhetoric and deserve more than a wall that distracts from the real issues at hand.”
We ask folx to consider donating to organizations on the ground who do the work everyday, regardless of the political climate of the time.
Detained Migrant Solidarity Committee- liberation activists building community to practice solidarity with detained migrants, challenging the inhumanity of the US migrant detention system, its practices, and policies, by holding a visible presence and raising awareness of abuses in our community
Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center- 31 year-old, homegrown, non-profit dedicated to serving the legal needs of low income immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, victims of crime, and families seeking reunification.
Border Network for Human Rights- one of the leading immigration reform and human rights advocacy organizations in the United States. Based in El Paso, Texas, the BNHR has a membership of more than 700 families, or close to 4,000 individuals, in West Texas and Southern New Mexico. It also helps organize other civic-minded groups along the border and is the force behind the Texas-wide Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance.
Diocesan Migrant & Refugee Services, Inc. (DMRS)- the only full-service immigration legal aid clinic serving low-income immigrants and refugees residing in the southwestern United States. The following links contain additional information regarding our current work and history serving migrants and refugees in the region.
Mariposa Fund- founded in 2016 by a group of abortion care providers in Albuquerque, NM. They recognized the extraordinary barriers that exist for undocumented people trying to obtain reproductive health services, including abortion. Specifically, undocumented people face obstacles such as fear of criminalization, lack of access to health insurance, economic insecurity, linguistic barriers, and oppression rooted in white supremacy and xenophobia.
Frontera Fund- provides practical support to people seeking abortions in the Rio Grande Valley and to Rio Grande Valley residents who travel to other clinics in Texas; it advocates for reproductive justice by funding lodging costs for people seeking abortion services.
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West Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization affiliated with the National Network of Abortion Funds and based in El Paso, Texas, that works to make abortions accessible for all people. The West Fund believes reproductive justice is only possible when all people, have the information, ability, and resources to make their own healthcare decisions. Through education, community building, and gap funding, we hope to help people of west Texas and Southern New Mexico achieve their decisions and access the healthcare they deserve.
West Fund was intentionally created with the philosophies of community and inclusivity. We strive to live in community where all people have the economic, social and political power to make healthy choices about their bodies, families, and relationships, in all areas of their lives.
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Lili Gomez
West Fund | Director of Outreach
P.O. Box 920088, El Paso, TX 79902
915.861.2703 (c)
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