The Trump administration continues to target refugees and is ramping up its attacks. Starting today, the administration will pursue stripping resettled refugees of their status and giving them as little as ten days notice to defend themselves. This change will inevitably result in New Americans losing their lawful status and being funneled toward deportation.
Refugees come to the U.S. after extensive vetting and with the promise of making their new community their permanent home. Instead, refugees’ safety and stability are being threatened as they are:
- forced to wait indefinitely for green cards that provide them permanent status;
- stripped of access to Medicaid and SNAP; and
- subjected to retraumatizing “re-vetting” interviews.
Now, the Trump administration’s refusal to process green cards for refugees and their pursuit of quickly terminating refugees’ status opens up the possibility that refugees are sent back to places where they face danger and persecution without due process. A new rule gives refugees ten days to appeal efforts to terminate their status, leaving them with little to no meaningful opportunity to retain legal assistance, acquire needed documents, marshal evidence to dispute the administration’s claims, or prepare loved ones for worst-case scenarios.
Use our tool below to urge your elected leaders to stand up for and protect New Americans who are making our communities better.
EMAIL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Using the tool above, you can send an email to your federal elected officials.
Sample Email: My name is [insert name], and as your constituent from [City/Town] and a [person of faith/refugee/member of my community], I am outraged by the increased targeting of refugees, including those who have been left in limbo overseas by the refugee ban and those who are being threatened with deportation right here in [STATE]. The Trump administration continues to only prioritize the resettlement of white South Africans, while tens of thousands of others, including Afghan allies and separated families, have been abandoned.
For refugees who have rebuilt their lives in the U.S. over the last several years, I am extremely concerned by the latest plan to strip them of their status, push them out of the workforce, and set them up for rapid deportation. This comes after H.R. 1 already cut off their access to vital health care and SNAP and as the administration continues to “re-vet” refugees and refuse to grant them permanent residency (green cards), as guaranteed by Congress.
I urge your office to condemn these efforts to strip refugees of their status. The administration needs to:
- Rescind the interim final rule and any other actions that terminate refugee status, including ending the unnecessary re-vetting of refugees who have already cleared the most rigorous screening in the U.S. immigration system.
- Resume full adjudication of refugee green card applications, and establish a channel through which members of Congress can request expedited adjudication for applicants facing termination of medical coverage.
- Welcome refugees who are at greatest risk of persecution, not single out one population and ignore massive humanitarian need around the world.
Refugees bring enormous economic and cultural benefits to the communities where they resettle. They are small business owners, tax contributors, and job creators. Our community welcomes refugees, and I encourage you to do the same.
Thank you,
[Name]
CALL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Call your federal elected officials using the tool above.
Sample Phone Script: My name is [insert name], and as your constituent from [City/Town] and a [person of faith/refugee/member of my community], I am extremely concerned by the latest plan to strip refugees of their status, push them out of the workforce, and set them up for rapid deportation. This comes after the administration continues to “re-vet” refugees and refuse to grant them green cards as guaranteed by Congress.
I urge your office to condemn these efforts and urge the administration to:
- Rescind the interim final rule and any other actions that terminate refugee status,
- End refugee green card freeze, and
- Welcome refugees who are at greatest risk of persecution, not single out one population and ignore massive humanitarian need around the world.
Refugees bring enormous economic and cultural benefits to the communities where they resettle. They are small business owners, tax contributors, and job creators. Our community welcomes refugees, and I encourage you to do the same.
Thank you.
POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Share this message with your elected officials on social media using the tool above. Sample posts:
- @[legislator]: Refugees make us stronger. A discriminatory and limited refugee program abandons our values and leaves many in harm’s way! #DefendRefuge
- @[legislator]: Keep America Welcoming. Our communities are stronger when we stand with our new neighbors. #RefugeesWelcome #ImmigrantsWelcome
- @[legislator]: Attempting to “review” and terminate the lawful status of refugees who have been promised permanent safety in this country is un-American. We must stand up for refugees in our communities!