Call To Action: September 13, 2018

DAYS UNTIL MID-TERM BALLOTS WILL BE MAILED: 34

DAYS UNTIL MID-TERM BALLOTS ARE DUE: 54

CONGRESS MUST STOP TRUMP’S CRUEL, WASTEFUL IMMIGRATION POLICY

While Trump is constantly in crises, migrant families are still detained in prison-like conditions, suffering from possibly permanent trauma due to Trump immigration program cruelty. And some 500 detained children have been effectively orphaned.

Only the Judicial branch is trying to solve the problems created by Trump’s cruel zero-tolerance policy, via lawsuits brought by the ACLU and Democratic Attorneys General:

The Flores court refused Trump’s indefinite detention request, insisting migrant families with children couldn’t be held more than 20 days
Judge Sabraw forced Trump to rescind the family separation program and reunite families
A new class action filed by the ACLU demanding that the government fund trauma treatment

The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) proposed rule to replace the Flores protections with indefinite detention will make things worse—increasing traumatic effects and costs. Monitoring asylum-seeking families in communities not only has 99% compliance rate but costs $36/family/day, compared to $800/person/day for detainees, which as Sen. Merkley exposed will be partly paid by the transfer of $10,000,000 FEMA funds earmarked for disaster relief.

Congress can no longer be “missing in action!”

Our elected representatives must take steps to ensure America remains a beacon for immigrants.

Demand that our MoCs:

protect migrant families from indefinite detention
reunite all separated families
provide retribution for Trump immigration program caused trauma.

Raise your voice to stop the HHS indefinite detention rule.

ACTION ONE: CALL OUR SENATORS

SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR MERKLEY AND WYDEN:
(Leave a message if you can’t get through)

“My name is [–] and I am a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling because I am deeply concerned that families are still separated, and a rule has been proposed for indefinite detention of migrant families. Please thank the Senator for cosponsoring the REUNITE Act [For Sen. Merkley: exposing the movement of funds from FEMA to ICE to pay for Trump’s prison camps]. I’m asking the Senator to continue to fight for a humane immigration policy by (1) passing legislation that ends the zero-tolerance policy and family detention (2) pass the REUNITE Act (S.3227), (3) making sure no taxpayer money goes to fund Trump’s wall. Thank you.”

SENATOR RON WYDEN

Portland: (503) 326-7525, DC: (202) 224-5244
Salem: (503) 589-4555, Eugene: (541) 431-0229
Medford: (541) 858-5122, Bend: (541) 330-9142
La Grande: (541) 960-7691
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/contact/

SENATOR JEFF MERKLEY
Portland: (503) 326-3386, DC: (202) 224-3753
Salem: (503) 362-8102, Eugene: (541) 465-6750
Medford: (541) 608-9102, Bend: (541) 318-1298
Pendleton: (541) 278-1129
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/contact/

ACTION TWO: CALL COMPLICIT GREG WALDEN

SAMPLE SCRIPT:
(Leave a message if you can’t get through)

“My name is [–] and I am a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling because I am deeply concerned that families are still separated, and a rule has been proposed for indefinite detention of migrant families. I’m asking Greg Walden to put human decency before party and fight for a humane immigration policy by (1) passing legislation that ends the zero-tolerance policy and family detention (2) pass the REUNITE Act (HR.6594), (3) making sure no taxpayer money goes to fund Trump’s wall. Thank you.”

GREG WALDEN

DC (202) 225-6730, Medford: (541) 776-4646,
Bend (541) 389-4408, La Grande (541) 624-2400
https://walden.house.gov/contact-greg/email-me

ACTION THREE: SUBMIT A COMMENT OPPOSING THE PROPOSED HHR RULE TO PERMIT THE INDEFINITE DETENTION OF MIGRANT FAMILIES

On September 6 HHS published a new rule lifting court-imposed limits on how long it can hold children in immigration detention. It would replace the Flores settlement (which allowed maximum family detention of 20 days) and detain migrant families together until their immigration cases are resolved. It would also allow ICE to create its own detention centers that would not have to comply with state licensing requirements for child care facilities.

Comments must be received by 11:59 pm on November 6, 2018. To express your displeasure, click here or email ICE at Be sure to include the DHS Docket Number which is ICEB-2018-0002.

ACTION FOUR: STAND WITH IMMIGRANTS IN OREGON

This November, Measure 105 (formerly IP 22) is on the ballot. This measure, pushed by anti-immigration groups, seeks to repeal Oregon’s 31-year-old sanctuary state law. Commit to vote NO on 105 and make sure all your friends and family do the same.

ACTION FIVE: BE A VOTER; SAVE AMERICA

To stop Trump and his disastrous immigration policy, we need a new Congress. And for us in Oregon Congressional District 2, we need to be represented in the US House!

Visit Jamie McLeod-Skinner’s website to learn more and keep up to date:
https://jamiefororegon.com/

Check out Vote Save America https://votesaveamerica.com/.