From Church World Service (http://www.churchworldservice.org):
Let me tell you a story about Deborah, a Ugandan mom who was resettled in Ohio and is separated from her 3 daughters and 12-year-old son. Her petitions to reunify her family were approved by the U.S. government in January 2017 but have been delayed due to President Trump’s executive orders. Recently, the administration announced another refugee ban that will significantly delay Deborah’s chance to see her children again, perhaps indefinitely.
President Trump and his administration have engaged in systematic attacks against refugees, and we’re already seeing the painful human impact of these attacks. Trump’s historically low refugee cap, multiple refugee bans, and efforts to halt family reunification are hurting our families, our congregations, and our communities. Our capacity as a nation to welcome refugees – a core tenet across faith traditions – is being threatened. As people who care about refugees, we must make sure we have a swift and powerful response to the administration and to Congress: We support refugee resettlement, oppose the refugee bans, and want to welcome each and every one of the 45,000 refugees we promised to resettle this year.
Take action today and tell Congress to oppose the administration’s multiple refugee bans and all-time low cap on refugee admissions. Go to https://greateras1.org/now-is-the-time-stop-trump-from-dismantling-refugee-resettlement/ to receive a phone call from a (202) number that will connect you with our 2 Senators and your Representative.
Our values are at stake. Turning away refugees is not who we are. Separating families is not who we are. More than half of the world’s 22 million refugees are children. The administration’s refugee bans and abhorrently low refugee cap are gut-wrenching for our community members who are waiting to be reunited with a family member, and for refugees overseas with no other option for safety than to be resettled, which is already their last resort.
Here are 4 more ways to take action:
- Meet with your Members of Congress when they’re at home from December 15th-January 2rd.
- Amplify your message on social media and share why you’re passionate about refugee and immigrant rights. Click here for a “Surviving the Holidays: How to talk to family about refugees & immigrants.”
- Write Opinion Editorials and Letters to the Editor stating your support for refugees and your opposition to the ongoing refugee bans. Click here to view sample letters you can send and here for more resources.
- Hold a public event like this #WhereRtheRefugees Interfaith Vigil in Texas to lift up impacted refugee community members and push back on the latest refugee ban.
For more information, check out these Five Ways You Can Share the Holiday Spirit with Refugees replete with organizing and messaging ideas. For more resources, download the RCUSA Winter Local Congressional Visit Toolkit and share with your networks! A weekly update on refugee arrivals can be found at www.rcusa.org.
It is critical that all Members of Congress hear their constituents declare their support for refugees from all over the world.
Thank you for all your work and support!
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