NEWARK – Puerto Ricans and their eye-level allies hit Broad Street this morning in front of the Pete Rodino Federal Building and called – with anger and irritability – on the Trump Administration to cut the nonsense and step up aid efforts to the Hurricane Maria-ravaged island. Members of SEIU 1199 and SEIU 32BJ, Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz, former Newark Mayor (and At-Large Councilman) Luis Quintana, and Newark At-Large Councilman Carlos Gonzalez all joined arms to create awareness for the ongoing post-hurricane devastation in Puerto Rico – and slapped soundly at a President they say disrespected the island.

New Jersey’s lone Latina mayor, Diaz led the cries against the President, who tossed rolls of paper towels into a crowd on his trip to the island yesterday. Trump had landed in Puerto Rico after attacking San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz on twitter. In her build up to Diaz, SEIU 1199 stalwart Ivette Mendez invoked Diaz’s 2008 take-down of then-Mayor Joe Vas in describing the Perth Amboy’s mayor welled-up irritation at Trump.

Puerto Ricans have worn and wear their uniform of the American Miliarty and have bled and bleed, and die and died.

“It’s sad to know our president does not realize that,” Diaz, the matriarch of a military family, said on the sidewalk, with allies around her. “Look at how he is treating Puerto Ricans. It is shameful. The temporary waiver of the Jones Act is not enough. A long-awaited visit by the president is not enough. This unified us to speak up for those on the island. We came together and started gathering donations and we stick together.”

Diaz’s mother arrived last night and told her daughter of the horrors, including lack of food and water. The mayor plans a trip in a couple of weeks.

“I’m determined that what we gather in Perth Amboy will get to Puerto Rico,” Diaz said. “Like it or not, Mr. Trump, we are Americans, and we deserve the same amount of respect as every other American on the main land. Puerto Rico will rebuild, with all of us sticking together, and we’re going to do it together because we’re all Americans.

“Remember that, Mr. Trump – we are Americans,” Diaz added. “We are Americans.”