From Church World Service (http://www.churchworldservice.org):
Since February 1st, 18 deportation flights have gone to Haiti, expelling over 1,000 Haitians, including at least 270 children, under a Trump-era policy that uses COVID-19 as an excuse to deny immigrants access to the asylum process. Thousands of other immigrants, including people from Cameroon and Mauritania, face harm upon being deported to their home country due to violent crime and political instability. According to Human Rights Watch, an estimated 3.9 million people in Cameroon are in need of humanitarian assistance, with over 720,000 people displaced. In Mauritania, the UN estimates that nearly 700,000 people may currently be enslaved. The global COVID-19 pandemic has only served to compound the existing violence and humanitarian needs in these countries. With every deportation and expulsion flight, the administration is placing lives at risk and abdicating from our moral and legal obligations to provide protection.
The targeting and prioritization of Black immigrants for deportation is immoral and wrong. It is vital that the administration re-designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti and designate TPS for Cameroon and TPS (or Deferred Enforced Departure, DED) for Mauritania – and end ongoing deportations of our Black immigrant neighbors. TPS was created to provide protection from deportation to those already in the United States when it is unsafe for their return home – precisely the conditions Mauritania, Cameroon, and Haiti face. It is imperative that we make our voices heard to our national leaders – join us in taking action today.
CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Go to https://cwsglobal.org/action-alerts/take-action-urge-congress-and-biden-administration-to-protect-black-immigrants-and-asylum-seekers-from-deportation-and-family-separation/ to send an email to your 2 Senators and 1 Representative!
Sample Script: “I’m your constituent from [CITY/TOWN] and [as a person of faith / refugee] I urge you to tell the Biden administration to re-designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, as well as designate TPS for Cameroon and TPS (or DED) for Mauritania. Since the beginning of February, 18 deportation flights have left the U.S., expelling over 1,000 Haitians, including at least 270 children, and other migrants, including from Cameroon and Mauritania, who face harm upon returning to their home country due to violent crime and political instability. I urge you to call upon the administration to do its part to protect our Black immigrant neighbors seeking safety by calling on the administration to take swift action for these countries. The targeting and prioritization of Black immigrants for deportation is immoral and wrong. My community welcomes Black immigrants and asylum seekers, and I urge you to do the same.”
Amplify on Social Media:
- .@POTUS @AliMayorkas @DHSgov @ABlinken @StateDept 👀—> @HouseForeign hearing w @GuerlineMJozef @HaitianBridge. Message is clear: STOP deporting + expelling Haitians. Re-designate TPS for Haiti NOW.
- Dear @TheBlackCaucus: Haitians, Cameroonians, and Mauritanians need you NOW. Call @POTUS @AliMayorkas @DHSgov + tell them to re-designate TPS for Haiti, grant DED/TPS for Cameroon + Mauritania TODAY. 1000s of lives hang in the balance.
- Join me in emailing your Members of Congress NOW and telling them to ensure @POTUS grants broadest TPS/DED designation and/or re-designation possible for Haiti, Cameroon, and Mauritania TODAY. 1000s of lives hang in the balance. https://cwsglobal.org/yWqld
Earlier this week, faith leaders expressed their shock by the tragedy our nation is producing for Haitians seeking protections. Nearly 100 faith-based organizations and over 700 faith leaders signed this letter, accompanied by this press release, calling on the Biden administration to halt deportation flights and stop expelling Haitians and other migrants seeking asylum in the United States.
Thank you for taking action – and please share this information with your networks!
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