NOTE: This alert is constructed from alerts issued by Church World Service and #RevolutionaryLove
President Trump has rewritten his executive order to ban travelers from six Muslim-majority countries for 90 days; suspend refugee resettlement for 120 days; and drastically reduce the number of refugees the United States welcomes from 110,000 to 50,000, a historic low. Make no mistake – this new order is concocted to have the same impact as the original executive order, while avoiding court proceedings.
By barring individuals from Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, this rewritten executive order remains a Muslim ban. Banning refugees from all countries for 120 days will grind refugee processing to a halt. Refugees are already the most thoroughly vetted individuals in the United States, undergoing biographic and biometric checks, medical screenings, forensic document testing, and in-person interviews. Each step of the process is time sensitive, so any pause will cause checks to expire and force refugees who have already been approved to wait months and even years to go through multiple security checks all over again, while their lives hang in the balance.
Disastrous consequences of the initial executive order are still reverberating around the world.
This news comes at a moment when hate crimes are at an all-time high. Anytime the government targets and profiles a people for who they are, it emboldens people to act on impulses to racism, bigotry, and violence.
On Friday night, a Sikh man was shot in his own driveway by a man who said “go back to your own country.” A little more than a week ago, Srinivas Kuchibotla, an Indian American engineer was killed by a man who yelled “get out of my country.” And we just received reports of the killing of Harnish Patel, an Indian American in South Carolina. The motive is unknown but in the context of skyrocketing hate against Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and Sikhs, our communities are shaken.
Hate breaks bone and sears flesh. But it also poisons the air we breathe. Right now, thousands of families here in the U.S. are having a hard time breathing. They tell me they are canceling camping trips, keeping their kids from school, and afraid to travel.
Today’s ban just fuels the fire. It makes our country less safe, not more so. Not a single refugee since 9/11 has been convicted of domestic terrorism, nor has any immigrant from the countries targeted by the ban. Instead, the ban endangers refugees fleeing war and persecution, establishes a de-facto religious test for immigrants, and threatens our people and Constitution.
These orders are gut-wrenching for those who are waiting to be reunited with a family member, and for refugees overseas with no other options for safety than to be resettled. It is critical that all Members of Congress and President Trump hear their constituents decry these announcements and declare their support for refugees from all over the world.
What can we do? #RevolutionaryLove calls us to see people who are not like us as sisters and brothers – and stand up for them when in harm’s way.
CALL YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS TODAY! (then scroll down for other things you can do)
Your Senators and Representatives: (202) 224-3121*
*Please call this line 3 times to be connected with your 1 Representative and 2 Senators. You can also call their offices directly—find contact information at:
- Senator Robert Casey: http://casey.senate.gov
- Senator Pat Toomey: http://toomey.senate.gov
- Your Representative: http://www.house.gov
Sample Script: “I’m your constituent from [City, State], and I support refugee resettlement. I strongly oppose President Trump’s executive order against refugees – both the original and the rewritten version. Just like the last time, this ban punishes Muslims, immigrants, and refugees for who they are, not anything they have done. It will grind refugee resettlement from all countries to a halt, and reduce the number of refugees we welcome to 50,000, a historic low. It also emboldens hate crimes against Muslims, Sikhs, and so many others. Hate crimes are now at an all-time high. This order is morally reprehensible and does not reflect the welcome for refugees I see in my community every day. I am calling you to show my love and care for these communities. I urge you to do everything in your power to see this executive order rescinded.” Thank you.”
Please also share a personal story about why refugee resettlement is important to you, your community, etc. Let them know the specific ways that refugees contribute and are welcomed into your community. You can also tweet @ your Senators/Representatives with the same message!
The best ways to make your voice heard by President Trump and the White House is by tweeting @realDonaldTrump and @WhiteHouse; posting a comment on Facebook.com/WhiteHouse; and submitting an electronic message at whitehouse.gov/contact.
Suggested Tweets:
- .@realDonaldTrump & @WhiteHouse Don’t stop welcoming refugees. Resettlement demonstrates the best of our values #RefugeesWelcome #GreaterAs1
- .@realDonaldTrump & @WhiteHouse Keep America welcoming. Refugee resettlement is a proud American legacy with bipartisan support #RefugeesWelcome #GreaterAs1
- Countering ‘alternative facts’ with real ones. FACT: #Refugees are the most vetted group to enter the US. #RefugeesWelcome #GreaterAs1
- .@RealDonaldTrump & @WhiteHouse: Today’s EO is the same unconstitutional EO we saw last month & we are still against it. #GreaterAs1 #RefugeesWelcome
Follow @CWS_global on Twitter and “like” CWS Immigration & Refugee Program on Facebook for up-to-date alerts. Join our global home base for refugee solidarity—because we are all #GreaterAs1. Please tell us if you take action (opens a new webpage)!
Resources:
- RCUSA refugee 101 backgrounder
- RCUSA background on the security screening process
- Refugee Resettlement State Profiles
- Letters and articles, national and state-by-state, demonstrating welcome for refugees
- Letter from former Secretaries of the Department of Homeland Security
- Letter to Congress from 20 Former National Security Officials
- Letter from 4,000 faith leaders affirming welcome for refugees of all religions
- Quotes from faith leaders in opposition to refugee executive order
- In-Process stories of refugees impacted
REACH OUT. Call or text your neighbors and friends who are Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Arab, or South Asian to tell them that you are troubled by the ban and hate crimes and are here to support them. Ask them what they need. Similarly, you can reach out to people you know in immigrant communities who are reeling from raids and offer your solidarity and support. This is #RevolutionaryLove in practice.
PLAN TO SHOW UP. Nothing is more powerful than showing up in your community. Check out events held around the country this week here. On Wednesday, we are championing a Day Without a Woman with our partners at the #WomensMarch. You can participate in three ways: do not work, do not buy anything, and/or wear red. Post why you are striking and standing in solidarity using #WomensMarch #NoBanNoWallNoRaids and #RevolutionaryLove.
Remember to breathe. In labor, we don’t breathe just once and push the rest of the way. We breathe, and push. And breathe. And push. And we do this holding the hand of someone we love. So find your sister or brother or partner or friend today — and be one another’s midwives. We can only do this together. #BreatheAndPush
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