Posts

ASYLUM RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS


This administration is turning our southern border into a militarized fortress to block people they consider too poor and too brown from entering our country.

Troops are deployed with permission to use lethal force.  Tear gas has been fired at men, women and children seeking to reach U.S. soil in order to request asylum.

Trump has instituted hardline immigration policies designed to discourage people from seeking asylum.  The result is a record 14,000 children in immigration detention despite vast research detailing the psychological damage that the isolation, fear and disorientation of incarceration will cause them.  There are ongoing attempts to change detention standards for children in violation of the Flores agreement.

ICE is using information on prospective sponsors for children to conduct raids and arrests.  As a result, many family members and other qualified caregivers are afraid to step forward, leaving children in government custody indefinitely.

Ronald Vitiello, Trump’s pick for the new ICE director has said he will not rule out reinstating family separation as a deterrent. 

Senator Ron Wyden introduced the Families Not Facilities Act to protect sponsors from ICE.  Let’s push for its passage and . . .

Protect the Flores Agreement!

Vote No on Vitiello!


**ACTION ONE: CALL OUR SENATORS**

SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR WYDEN:

“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [town/city], Oregon [zip code].  Asylum is a human right.  We don’t need troops on the border, and we don’t want immigrants seeking asylum to be denied safe harbor and a fair hearing.  I want to thank the Senator for introducing the Families Not Facilities Act (S. 3624).  I would like to see this passed as soon as possible.  I also ask him to work to pass legislation protecting the Flores Agreement and vote no on the confirmation of Ronald Vitiello. 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/

SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR MERKLEY:

“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [town/city], Oregon [zip code].  Asylum is a human right.  We don’t need troops on the border, and we don’t want immigrants seeking asylum to be denied safe harbor and a fair hearing.  I want to thank the Senator for his support of children and families seeking asylum, and to ask him to 1) fight to pass the Families Not Facilities Act (S. 3624), 2) work to pass legislation protecting the Flores Agreement, and 3) vote no on the confirmation of Ronald Vitiello. Thank you.”

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**

“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].  Asylum is a human right.  We don’t need troops on the border, and we don’t want immigrants seeking asylum to be denied safe harbor and a fair hearing.  Greg Walden must do the right thing, do all he can to end this humanitarian crisis.  He should be putting People Before Party to demand hearings on what is happening at the border, work to pass legislation in the House that is similar to the Senate’s Families Not Facilities Act (S. 3624), and pass legislation to protect the Flores Agreement.  Thank you.”

COMPLICIT 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: MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL**

Oppose anti-immigrant rules to limit immigrants’ access to safety net programs. 

File a comment in OPPOSITION to limiting immigrants’ access to SNAP and MEDICAID