Oppose House Immigration Bills + Reunite and Release Families
Trump’s Answer to Separation of Children:
Keep the Whole Family in Prolonged Detention
On the heels of very bad media days spotlighting the horrendous separation and jailing of migrant children, Donald Trump today signed the Executive Order, “Affording Congress an Opportunity to Address Family Separation”. The executive order does not free the children — instead, it allows for the incarceration of children with their parents, likely for prolonged periods of time. The order may lead to a violation of the Flores case settlement, which limited the length of time for children in detention; Trump wants the Attorney General to seek a “modification” to the Flores settlement, to provide family detention throughout the time of “criminal improper entry or deportation proceedings involving the parents”. Because of the case backlogs, these can be very lengthy periods in detention.
The order is not retroactive and there are no plans to reunite some 2,300 already separated children with their parents. This crisis continues.
The order does not end the “zero tolerance” policy that is driving the criminal prosecution of all border crossers. Nor does it affect the new restrictions on access to asylum or the detention of asylum seekers, in defiance of US and international laws.
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Demand that ALL children are reunited with their parents!
Release the families from detention pending resolution of their cases!
More to follow on analysis and action behind this executive order, the continuing criminalization of immigrants, and the horrific, inhumane border policies
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Oppose Both House Immigration Bills – Act NOW!
Voting on the bills may take place today, Thursday, June 21
Trump’s executive order comes just before House consideration of two Republican immigration bills. Both bills would dramatically increase funds for punitive and repressive immigration policies, practices and machinery. Neither would end the separation of families at the border, nor provide a clear path to permanent residency for DACA recipients. Both bills have been opposed by a broad cross-section of community, immigrant rights, faith, civil rights and other sectors and organizations.
Each bill proposes shallow trade-offs in exchange for more repression of immigrant communities, workers and asylum seekers. They would undermine due process, cause further family separations, heighten fear and uncertainty among immigrants, and drive more wedges among communities–not to mention the outrageous cost of enforcement infrastructure and personnel. Bringing these two bills up for consideration in the House is a shameful act by Republicans to curry favor among their base.
Read a summary of the two bills, HR 4760, the “Securing America’s Future Act”, and HR 6136, the “Border Security and Immigration Reform Act”, offered as a “compromise” bill bridging moderate and hard-lined Republicans in the House.
Spread the word! Urge your representatives to oppose both bills!
Call now! Click here to access contact information for your representative in the House.
Here’s a simple message to use when you make your call:
“Hello. My name is _______. I am calling to urge you oppose both HR 4760 and HR 6136, the immigration bills. These bills hold immigrant children and youth hostage to increased immigration enforcement, a costly border wall, and severe cuts to our family immigration program. Thank you.
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Channeling outrage to political action and financial support has been inspiring and much appreciated. There is still so much to do. Thanks for your continued support as we continue to build movement for human rights and justice for ALL!