From the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (http://www.interfaithimmigration.org):
Right now, the administration is requesting a reallocation of millions of additional taxpayer dollars to expand family incarceration and deportation force to tear families and communities apart. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s cruel and unnecessary jailing of families, asylum seekers, and immigrants already requires billions of dollars every year. That means millions of additional funding to balloon an already bloated immigration detention and deportation scheme. Congress has the “power of the purse” and must reject ICE’s request.
Reports have documented systemic physical and sexual abuse, lack of medical care, especially for vulnerable populations, and other harmful practices in ICE custody — without any accountability. ICE has operated with impunity for years, resulting in an unchecked machinery behind unjust deportation, detention, and border militarization. Any reallocation of DHS funds to fuel ICE detention would serve only to dismantle community wholeness. It is critical that Senators and Representatives hear loudly and clearly that their constituents want them to reject any transfer request from DHS and to exert more oversight and accountability over the agency.
CALL CONGRESS:
The Senators and Representatives listed below are the key Members who control whether ICE will receive additional funds. Please make these 4 phone calls today!
- Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS) (Chairman of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, House Appropriations Committee): (202) 225-2865 / @RepKevinYoder
- Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) (Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Senate Appropriations Committee): (202) 224-6472 / @SenCapito
- Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) (Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, House Appropriations Committee): (202) 225-1766 / @RepRoybalAllard
- Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) (Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Senate Appropriations Committee): (202) 224-2644 / @SenatorTester
Sample Script: “I’m your constituent from [CITY/TOWN], and [as a person of faith] I urge you to publicly reject DHS’s request to transfer more money to ICE to detain and deport families and to exert more oversight and accountability over an opaque agency that has operated with unchecked impunity for years. Any additional taxpayer dollars are simply another example of ICE’s habit of abusive practices and reckless overspending in complete disregard for the limitations Congress has put in place. Instead, tell DHS to stop family incarceration and immediately comply with the court order to reunite families. The policy of jailing families, separating children, and criminalizing migrants and people seeking protection is morally reprehensible. I call on you to live out our call to care for the least of these and uphold the sanctity of true family unity.”
Don’t forget to share the same message with your Senators & Representatives on social media! (PA delegation Twitter handles below.) Here are sample social media posts:
- .@[MEMBER OF CONGRESS] invest in families, NOT in @ICE’s plan for family incarceration and deportation. We’re better than this #DefundHate #FamiliesBelongTogether
- .@[MEMBER OF CONGRESS] more jails + beds = hate. Don’t waste taxpayer dollars on jailing and separating families #DefundHate #FamiliesBelongTogether
Go to https://greateras1.org/take-action-tell-congress-to-protect-families-and-reject-more-funding-for-family-incarceration-and-deportation/ to take action, and please share this email with your networks! For more information about ways to take action and stop family separation & family incarceration, check out our Interfaith Toolkit to Stop Family Separation, End Family Detention, and Keep Families Together: bit.ly/EndFamilySeparationToolkit.
PA Twitter Handles
- Bob Casey: @SenBobCasey
- Pat Toomey: @SenToomey
- Bob Brady (PA-1): @RepBrady
- Dwight Evans (PA-2): @RepDwightEvans
- Mike Kelly (PA-3): @MikeKellyPA
- Scott Perry (PA-4): @RepScottPerry
- Glenn Thompson (PA-5): @CongressmanGT
- Ryan Costello (PA-6): @RepRyanCostello
- PA-7: Vacant
- Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-8): @RepBrianFitz
- Bill Shuster (PA-9): @RepBillShuster
- Tom Marino (PA-10): @RepTomMarino
- Lou Barletta (PA-11): @RepLouBarletta
- Keith Rothfus (PA-12): @RepRothfus
- Brendan Boyle (PA-13): @CongBoyle
- Mike Doyle (PA-14): @USRepMikeDoyle
- PA 15: Vacant
- Lloyd Smucker (PA-16): @RepSmucker
- Matt Cartwright (PA-17): @RepCartwright
- Conor Lamb (PA-18): @ConorLambPA
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