Date: Jul 01, 2020
Authors: Daniella Burgi-Palomino, Lauri Alvarez
We’re continuing to bring you actions you can take to support human rights in Latin America & the Caribbean during the pandemic. Right now, we need your help to defend migrants’ and refugee rights. We are seeing the systematic dismantling of our asylum system under the guise of a pandemic. Borders closed, hearings postponed, families separated—the beacon of hope that was this country, extinguished. This is not who we are.
That’s why we’re joining forces with our partners for “Virtual Asylum Advocacy Days” to have our voices heard in a time when we are unable to physically walk the halls on Capitol Hill. All you have to do is sign up and we’ll coordinate a Zoom meeting with the office of your representative and fellow constituents to express your concerns with the evisceration of the asylum system. We may not be able to meet in person but we can still make some noise!
Join us for Virtual Asylum Advocacy Days on July 14-16!
<<REGISTER NOW! >>
This is urgent. The administration ramped up forcibly removing and deporting men, women, and unaccompanied children from the United States and returned them to their home countries, with only a temperature check before placing them on deportation flights, many times after they’ve been exposed to COVID-19 in immigration jails. At the same time, they’ve expelled over 40,000 asylum seekers at the border without a day in court. This is a violation of the right to seek asylum. And we won’t let this stand.
Our concerns are being heard loud and clear, by some. Senator Markey (D-MA) just introduced the Immigration Enforcement Moratorium Act which would halt all deportations and immigration enforcement during the global pandemic and defund the illegal expulsions at the border, and Representative Frederica Wilson (D-FL) introduced the Haitian Deportation Relief Act which would halt deportations to Haiti during the pandemic. We need to make sure these bills gets strong support!
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So, what can you do?
Take a stand. Make your voice heard whether through Virtual Asylum Advocacy Days, calling your senators or representative, or all three. Now is not the time to be complacent. We MUST act!
Call and email your senators to co-sponsor Senator Markey’s (D-MA) Immigration Enforcement Moratorium Act
- Find your senator here and leave a message on their D.C. office phone!
- Phone Script: “My name is __ and I am a constituent from ____. I urge Senator ___ to co-sponsor the Immigration Enforcement Moratorium Act. Deporting and forcibly expelling individuals, families, and children during a pandemic is inhumane and unlawful and must stop immediately. The administration should not be weaponizing a pandemic to close the border to asylum seekers.”
- Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Kamala Harris (D-CA) have already co-sponsored the bill but make the phones ring off the hook and leave a voicemail for the rest!
- Don’t feel comfortable calling? Send an email! Find your senators here, click the contact link, fill out your contact information and urge them to co-sponsor Senator Markey’s Immigration Enforcement Moratorium Act to halt deportations and detention during the pandemic and defund expulsions at the border.
Call and email your representative to co-sponsor Rep. Wilson’s (D-FL) Haitian Deportation Relief Act (H.R. 6798)
- Find your representative here and leave a message on their D.C. office phone!
- Phone Script: “My name is ___ and I am a constituent from __. I urge Representative ___ to co-sponsor the Haitian Deportation Relief Act, H.R 6798. Deportations to Haiti are unconscionable, especially during a pandemic and they must end now.”
- Don’t feel comfortable calling? Send an email! Go to your reps website, click contact, fill in your contact information and urge them to co-sponsor Representative Wilson’s (D-FL) bill H.R. 6798 to halt deportations to Haiti.
Register TODAY for Virtual Asylum Advocacy Days!
- LAWG is joining partners in hosting Virtual Asylum Advocacy Days on Tuesday July 14-July 16 to demand Congress defund the administration’s harmful anti-asylum policies and restore asylum protections.
- Register here TODAY to join Zoom meetings with your members of Congress. There will be a webinar beforehand to help you prepare.
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It is up to us to protect those whose rights are being violated by our government. A global health crisis is not an excuse to lose our humanity. Asylum seekers have rights and we will continue to advocate for their protection.
