Ahead of her Thursday evening appearance in San Antonio, Sen. Elizabeth Warren unveiled a plan for protecting border communities and reversing the Trump administration's "incessant militarization" of the region.
The Democratic presidential hopeful's plan would immediately halt work on Trump’s wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and reverse the administration's draconian immigration policies. It also would seek to improve economic conditions in depressed border regions by aiding small businesses, closing the digital divide and strengthening environmental protections.
"The 15 million residents living in our Southern borderlands — from Brownsville, Texas to San Diego, California — deserve a champion and a partner in the White House," Warren said in a written statement. "Building an America that reflects our values means elevating the voices of those who have traditionally been overlooked and underserved. We’ve got to make sure everyone has a seat at the table, and that includes border communities and immigrant advocacy groups."
Warren pledged that within 100 days of winning the presidency she would convene a borderlands summit to address the region's needs. Additionally, she said she'll hire a White House border advisor.
She also unveiled a Senate bill to divert money from Trump's wall to fund the U.S. coronavirus response.
Warren is set to hold a town hall at San Antonio's Sunset Station with former SA mayor and one-time campaign rival Julián Castro, who recently gave her an endorsement.
The senator's border plan and SA appearance come as Democratic presidential candidates swarm the Lone Star State ahead of its delegate-rich March 3 primary. Tom Steyer, Pete Buttigieg, Mike Bloomberg and Joe Biden all have Texas events in the next few days. Bernie Sanders recently completed a four-stop swing through the state that included a San Antonio stop.
Early voting for the Texas primary ends Friday. The next opportunity to cast a vote in Texas primaries is on March 3, known as Super Tuesday.
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