From Church World Service (http://www.churchworldservice.org):
Right now, the administration is considering how many refugees to welcome in 2021. By September 30th, the administration is required by U.S. law to consult with leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees before setting next year’s refugee admissions goal.
The administration has already cut refugee admissions by more than 80%, from the historic average goal of 95,000 to just 18,000 in FY2020 – an all-time low. We must send a strong message to Congress that their constituents want to build back the resettlement program and see more refugees resettled and more families reunited.
To learn how to take action at this critical time, check out our brand new August Recess Toolkit: https://bit.ly/AugustRecessToolkit2020. Here are the top 5 ways to take action:
Plan a Virtual Visit with Your Members of Congress in August: Members of Congress will be home for the annual August recess period. Take advantage of this time by setting up a virtual meeting with them! For guidance on setting up a virtual meeting, please visit the August Recess Toolkit at https://bit.ly/AugustRecessToolkit2020.
Call Congress: Click here to be connected to your 2 Senators and 1 Representative and for a sample script/email message. Urge them to do everything in their power to see that the administration meaningfully consults with Congress and builds back refugee resettlement to the historic norm of 95,000. Alternatively, you can call directly—find contact information:
- Senator Robert Casey: http://casey.senate.gov
- Senator Pat Toomey: http://toomey.senate.gov
- Your Representative: http://www.house.gov
Amplify on Social Media: Don’t forget to tweet at your Members of Congress. Here are some sample posts, and click here for additional sample social.
.[@memberofcongress]: America must remain a country of welcome. Please do your part to see that the administration builds back our refugee program to 95,000 refugees in FY 2021. #RefugeesWelcome #Welcome95k
Refugees are on the frontlines of COVID response & relief: 176,000 refugees work in healthcare & 175,000 work in the food supply chain. #RefugeesWelcome #Welcome95k
Both Republicans and Democrats support refugee resettlement. It’s time to #RestoreTheLegacy #RefugeesWelcome
Write Opinion Editorials & Letters to the Editor for Local Media Outlets: One of the best ways to make your voice heard is by writing an opinion article or letter to the editor of your local paper. Local outlets are especially useful for making your voice heard to officials at the federal, state, and local levels. Click here for template op-eds and LTEs.
Engage State & Local Elected Leaders: Last year, 408 local and state elected officials from 46 states signed a letter expressing their community’s support for refugees and asking the President to set a robust refugee admissions goal for refugees to be resettled in the United States. This year, we want to hear the voices from all 50 states! Urge your state and local elected leaders to sign on to support refugees in your community and urge the administration to commit to resettling 95,000 refugees in 2020! Click to read the letter and to sign: https://welcomingrefugees2021.org/.
But wait! There’s more:
Immigration Nation: Asylum and Refugee Resettlement Toolkit: The new Netflix series Immigration Nation highlights stories of immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees trying to reunite with their families. Take action in response to the administration’s dismantling of the U.S. refugee and asylum programs highlighted in episode 5 with resources in this toolkit.
Civic Engagement Toolkit: Civic engagement is vital to educate voters about immigrant and refugee rights; promote civic participation for new citizens as part of integration efforts; encourage voter registration; keep U.S. citizen refugee and immigrant voters from being discriminated against in the voting process; and elevate the dialogue on immigrant and refugee rights in the media and public forums. Visit this civic engagement toolkit for resources from a non-partisan perspective about how to engage in the upcoming election.
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