UPDATE x1: A protest is being planned, Illinois Review was notified via Twitter. See below …
GRANITE CITY – Thursday, President Trump is planning to visit Congressman Mike Bost's 12th District's Granite City – where 800 steelworkers are returning to work this year. Trump is expected to celebrate the plant's re-opening and attribute its newfound demand to his tariff strategy of 25% on imported steel and 10% on imported aluminum. Raising the cost of imported steel has created a demand for US-made steel – and bolstered the Granite City economic situation.
That should make it easy for Congressman Bost, right?
It's not that easy. While the United Steel Workers union is happy about their union members' jobs returning to Granite City, they picketed outside Congressman Bost's office last week. Why? To urge him to oppose President Trump's policy of "zero tolerance" on illegal immigration.
The purpose of the "Keep Families Together" rally with the United Congregations of the Metro East on July 2 was to "call upon Congressman Bost to join the chorus of voices against a new "zero tolerance" policy being implemented by the current administration under the Department of Health and Human Services," the union's website says. "Under this new policy, every migrant who entered the United States, without authorization, would be criminally prosecuted, even if no other crime had been committed."
Even more complicated is that Bost co-chairs the Congressional Steel Caucus – setting him in conflict with tariff retaliation that affects soybeans and other Midwest-grown agricultural products.
The caucus is a bipartisan group of over 100 Members of Congress that represents regions with steel manufacturers or areas that care specifically about the health of the American steel industry. In addition to introducing legislation supporting the domestic steel community, Caucus members also routinely meet with Administration officials and WTO representatives to communicate the interests of the American industry and its steelworkers.
"The steel industry has been vitally important to Southern Illinois for decades. However, the American steel industry and its steelworkers face threats on several fronts," Bost's website explains. "At home, loopholes in Buy America protections have prevented the use of American steel on infrastructure projects. Abroad, illegally-subsidized imports from foreign nations that devalue their currencies continue to flood the market. During these difficult times, Representative Bost is on the front line fighting for every single American job."
As a result, Bost is in a tough place. Should he celebrate with the President Thursday or should he remain "previously scheduled" to avoid a confrontation and possible US Steel immigration policy picketers?
As of Monday noon, he has yet to announce whether he will be joining Trump's visit to the Granite City US Steel plant Thursday.
UPDATE x1: Via Twitter
