Washington (June 19, 2018) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement in response to reports that the United States will withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council.

“Withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council is President Trump’s way of building a wall around the entirety of our country, not just at the southern border,” said Senator Markey. “Membership on the U.N. Human Rights Council lets the world know that the United States is committed to defending the human rights of all people around the world. As we all watch in dismay as the Trump administration willfully tears immigrant families apart, withdrawal from the Council further damages America’s leadership and credibility around the globe. This decision runs counter to American values and is yet another example of President Trump’s fixation on asserting his rights rather than protecting the rights of others.”

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