The presidential election has been called for Donald Trump, who will be inaugurated on January 20. The incoming Trump administration has stated plans to diminish or dismantle the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, end crucial humanitarian pathways like parole, and separate families via mass deportation.
As occurs after every election cycle, Congress will now return to Capitol Hill for a special session before Trump takes office and before the first day of the new Congress’s term. These post-election periods have historically been more momentous than others as presidents and members of Congress look to cement their legacy – and this year the stakes are higher than ever with a government funding deadline looming on December 20.
Despite the plans of the incoming administration, Congress and the Biden administration can take a number of specific actions right now to strengthen protections for at-risk newcomer populations and to fortify our communities’ welcoming infrastructure. Before Trump takes office, Congress and the Biden administration must establish guardrails against harmful policies that may be implemented in the next administration and provide more stable protection to newcomers here with liminal or temporary protections.
See below and on the right-hand side for ways to join us and urge policymakers to guard against harmful policies and stabilize protections for newcomers at particular risk.
CONTACT YOUR TWO SENATORS AND ONE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY!
On the right-hand side, you can send an email or make a phone call that connects you to your members of Congress.
Sample Script/Email:
My name is [insert name], and as your constituent from [City/Town) and a [person of faith/refugee/member of my community], I urge you to take action during the lame duck session in support of refugees and newcomers. Specifically, I urge you to:
- Protect funding for vital refugee and newcomer accounts in ongoing emergency supplemental and Fiscal Year 2025 budget negotiations. I urge you to support robust funding for the following accounts:
- The Refugee and Entrant Assistance (REA) account, which funds the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). ORR is facing an emergency shortfall of $2.9 billion and, without supplemental funding, will need to end or significantly slash support that goes directly to local communities to offer critical integration services like employment classes and school-based support for refugee children and their families.
- Accounts supporting overseas humanitarian protection and refugee processing, such as the Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) account, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance (ERMA) account, and any funding requested by the Biden administration to support Operation Enduring Welcome.
- The Shelter and Services Program (SSP) and the Case Management Pilot Program (CMPP), which provide critical support to communities working to welcome asylum seekers.
- Support legislation and authorizing language that welcomes refugees and guards against harmful restrictions. During the lame duck period, I urge you to endorse and support the passage of the following legislation and authorizing language priorities that may come to a vote this session:
- Legislation to provide a clear path to permanent status for Afghan parolees who remain in limbo, including the bipartisan Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies (FPAA) amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. The amendment is nearly identical to the Afghan Adjustment Act (S. 2327 and H.R. 4627).
- Authorization language to restore access to refugee services and mainstream benefits like TANF and SNAP for newly arriving Ukrainian and Afghan parolees. Though Congress initially responded to the fall of Kabul and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by authorizing Afghan and Ukrainian humanitarian parolees to receive certain benefits, it has since allowed both populations’ eligibility to lapse, cutting off Afghans and Ukrainians from support.
- Legislation and authorizing language to protect crucial refugee support programs and offices and inoculate against efforts to end them. This includes the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) Authorization Act (H.R. 8386) and authorizing language codifying the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) and the Lautenberg refugee family reunification program.
- Reject any efforts to include or codify harmful asylum restrictions during the lame duck session. Ongoing efforts to include harmful border and immigration restrictions in funding legislation – including those that seek to codify Title 42-style expulsions or otherwise return individuals to danger without offering them due process – must be categorically rejected.
Our country’s long history as a nation of welcome is at stake. Now is the time to exhibit humanitarian leadership and commit to welcoming policies that support newcomers. Our community welcomes refugees – I urge you to do the same.”
CALL THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
You can reach the Biden administration directly by using the phone tool on the right-hand side or by calling 202-318-7887.
Sample Script to Call President Biden: “My name is [insert name], and as your constituent from [City/Town) and a [person of faith/refugee/member of my community], I call to urge you to take action in support of immigrants and to safeguard the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program in the final months of your administration. Specifically, I urge you to:
- Offer more stable protection to those currently here with only temporary protections and most at risk of being returned to danger. I urge you to establish a clear and streamlined re-parole process for those who have entered via the Cuban/Haitian/Nicaraguan/Venezuelan (CHNV) parole program (as you did for Ukrainian and Afghan parolees), and to redesignate and extend TPS for nationals of countries including Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Haiti.
- Expedite processing of immigration benefits and applications. I urge you to ramp up processing of key immigration services and benefits like Employment Authorization Documents, applications for Temporary Protected Status, and naturalizations.
- Rescind the “Securing the Border” rule and instead invest in alternate and more effective border solutions. The Securing the Border rule has created chaos and disorder at the Southwest border and unlawfully returned asylum seekers to danger without offering adequate due process. I urge you to rescind the rule and work to support more efficient and humane border policies.
Our country’s long history as a nation of welcome is at stake. Now is the time to exhibit humanitarian leadership and commit to welcoming policies that support newcomers. Our community welcomes refugees – I urge you to do the same.”
AMPLIFY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Share this message with national leaders on social media! See below for sample social media posts and click here for sample graphics.
@legislator: Congress must take action to support refugees and newcomers and protect humanitarian programs before Trump takes office! #RefugeesWelcome
@POTUS: Here’s how to protect refugees and newcomers in your final months in office:
- Create more stability for those here under temporary statuses via TPS and re-parole
- Ramp up processing of immigration benefits and applications
- Rescind harmful asylum restrictions
@Legislator: Here’s how to protect refugees and newcomers before Trump takes office:
- Fund key refugee accounts like Refugee and Entrant Assistance
- Safeguard and codify humanitarian agencies and programs
- Pass the Afghan Adjustment Act
Additional Resources
- Top Five Ways to Take Action in Support of Refugees and Newcomers Before Trump Takes Office
- Sign up to join a community of individuals preparing to mobilize in response to specific attacks on refugee resettlement and humanitarian protection.
- CWS Statement: Following Election Results, CWS Reaffirms Commitment to Immigrant and Refugee Neighbors, Vulnerable Families Worldwide
- CWS Policy Updates