Friday, January 27, 2017

Support Refugee Resettlement! Oppose President Trump's Executive Order on Refugees!

URGENT: TAKE ACTION NOW!

Urge Your Senators & Representatives to Oppose Trump’s Pending Refugee Announcement

Various media outlets are reporting that Donald Trump will issue an executive order that would reduce refugee admissions, grind resettlement to a halt, stop resettling refugees from certain countries, and preference religious minorities. These proposed changes fly in the face of our best values of compassion, hospitality, and welcome. With more than 65 million forcibly displaced in the world–the worst in our global history–it is more important than ever to urge our elected leaders to weigh in TODAY to oppose such an announcement.

Barring refugees from certain countries and narrowly preferencing religious minorities is tantamount to a Muslim ban. Any announcement to pause resettlement would grind refugee processing to a halt, as each step of the security check process is time sensitive. A pause would force refugees who were set to arrive in the United States soon to instead wait months and even years to go through fingerprinting, interviews, health screenings, and multiple security checks all over again, all while their lives are in danger.

These announcements would be gut-wrenching for our community members who are waiting to be reunited with a sister, brother, parent or child, and for refugees overseas with no other options for safety than to be resettled in the U.S. Refugees are the most thoroughly vetted immigrants in the United States, undergoing biographic and biometric checks, medical screenings, forensic document testing, and in-person interviews. It is critical that Members of Congress hear their constituents decry these announcements and weigh in directly with Trump to urge him to immediately abandon these plans.

CALL YOUR SENATORS & REPRESENTATIVES TODAY!

Call (202) 224-3121 3 TIMES to be connected with your 1 Representative & 2 Senators

Sample Script: “I’m your constituent from [City, State], and I support refugee resettlement in the U.S. I am strongly opposed to the announcement expected from President Trump that would reduce refugee admissions, grind resettlement to a halt, stop resettling refugees from certain countries, and preference religious minorities. This discriminatory announcement is morally reprehensible, runs counter to who we are as a nation, and does not reflect the welcome for refugees I see in my community every day. Please urge President Trump to abandon this plan and do everything in your power to stop this announcement.”

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.

One of the best ways to make your voice heard is by commenting on a post on the White House Facebook page: Facebook.com/WhiteHouse or submit an electronic message at whitehouse.gov/contact.


Tweet @realDonaldTrump @WhiteHouse, and @ your Senators/Representatives: “.@[HANDLE], my community stands w/ ALL refugees! Support refugee resettlement & reject discrimination! #RefugeesWelcome”