Adriano Espaillat, U.S. Congressman representing New York’s 13th district since 2017, has recently used his social media platform to address concerns about family reunification and the economic impact of Trump-era policies.
On February 24, 2026, Espaillat shared a message from an individual named Fernando, stating: “Necesito que mi familia regrese a casa: salven la vida de mi hermana, acaben con esta pesadilla para mà y para todas las demás familias como la mÃa, que solo quieren vivir una vida”.
The following day, February 25, 2026, Espaillat criticized former President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans regarding their promises to reduce living costs. He wrote: “Donald Trump and congressional Republicans promised to lower the high cost of living on Day One. They failed.
Instead, life is more expensive than ever, worsened by Trump’s tariffs that have cost families $1,700 more per year on everything from groceries to transportation and”.
He reiterated these points in Spanish later the same day: “Donald Trump y los republicanos del Congreso prometieron reducir el alto costo de vida desde el primer dÃa. Fracasaron.
En cambio, la vida es más cara que nunca, agravada por los aranceles de Trump, que han costado a las familias $1,700 más al año en todo, desde comestibles”.
Espaillat was born in Santiago, Dominican Republic in 1954 and has lived in Manhattan for several years. He previously served in both the New York State Assembly (1997–2010) and State Senate (2011–2016), before being elected to Congress as Charles Rangel’s successor. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queens College at the City University of New York (1978).
