From Church World Service (http://www.churchworldservice.org):
The previous administration dismantled the refugee resettlement program by more than 80% and set consecutively historic-low refugee admissions goals, with a FY 2021 refugee admissions goal of only 15,000. This is despite facing the worst refugee crisis in history.
With the new administration in place, it is critical that we urge Congress to take immediate action to begin rebuilding the program and to increase refugee admissions by expressing our strong support for the Guaranteed Refugee Admissions Ceiling Enhancement Act (GRACE Act), which would restore U.S. leadership on refugee resettlement.
The GRACE Act would set a minimum floor for the annual refugee admissions goal (“Presidential Determination”) at 125,000. The bill would also ensure that the administration treats the Presidential Determination as a goal to reach and would help facilitate constructive congressional oversight over the administration’s operations of the resettlement program. This legislation will be introduced on Thursday, March 25th, so take action today to urge your Members of Congress to join as original cosponsors in support of the GRACE Act.
EMAIL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS:
Go to https://cwsglobal.org/action-alerts/take-action-urge-congress-to-welcome-refugees-and-support-the-grace-act/ to be connected to your Members of Congress; alternatively, contact them directly—find contact information:
- 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/TOWN] and [as a person of faith/refugee] I urge you to protect refugees and rebuild the U.S. refugee resettlement program by cosponsoring the Guaranteed Refugee Admissions Ceiling Enhancement Act (GRACE Act). The GRACE Act would restore and revitalize the refugee resettlement program by setting a minimum annual admissions goal of 125,000 refugees and would help to facilitate constructive congressional oversight over the refugee resettlement program. This legislation will be introduced on Thursday, March 25th, and I urge you to join as an original cosponsor. My community welcomes refugees, and I urge you to do the same.”
Amplify on Social Media: Don’t forget to tweet at your Members of Congress. Here are some sample posts:
- .@Member: I call on you to make the decision most consistent with US humanitarian values and strategic interests and cosponsor the GRACE Act that would set a minimum refugee admissions goal of 125,000 #EnactGRACE #Welcome125k #BuildBackBetter #RestoringWelcome
- .@Member: Refugee resettlement is a core American legacy that allows people to rebuild their lives. My community welcomes refugees, and I urge you to welcome them, too, by supporting a robust refugee resettlement program. #EnactGRACE #Welcome125k #BuildBackBetter #RestoringWelcome
- .@Member: Refugees are teachers, doctors, police officers, community leaders, and elected officials. Refugees want to give back and make the US a better place for all people. #EnactGRACE #Welcome125k #BuildBackBetter #RestoringWelcome
- .@Member: To restore our nation’s role as a global humanitarian leader, we must set a minimum refugee admissions goal of 125,000 #EnactGRACE #Welcome125k #BuildBackBetter #RestoringWelcome
Thank you for taking action – and please share this information with your networks!
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