Donald Trump’s illegal order to freeze federal funds allocated by Congress is nothing less than a coup attempt, a seizure of Congress’ power of the purse.

For the survival of democracy, and the prevention of a dictatorship, please contact your members of Congress, even those in Trump’s pockets, to stand up against this and take back its powers. We need our local representatives to make a statement standing against this, and demanding that Trump rescind this order.

We need our local media to publish statements refuting this atrocity. This illegal order will cause immediate and long-term devastation among members of our communities and agencies that serve us if it is allowed to stand. This is an emergency.

JULIA HESSE

Astoria