Asylum Virtual Advocacy Days (July 14-16)
We hope that you will join the Asylum Working Group (AWG) and the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC) for virtual advocacy days from Tuesday, July 14 - Thursday, July 16 to demand that Congress defund the administration’s harmful anti-asylum policies and restore asylum protections. To join us and participate, please RSVP here by Friday, June 26th.
We will be scheduling virtual legislative visits between 10am ET - 4pm ET on Tuesday, July 14, Wednesday, July 15, and Thursday, July 16th. If you’re unable to join virtual meetings anywhere in those time blocks, please ensure you note that in the RSVP form.
We are prioritizing participants from these key states and districts based on their Members of Congress (note that there are two tabs at the top, one for target Representatives and one for target Senators).
Background
America has long represented a beacon of hope and safety for people fleeing from violence and persecution, as enshrined in international and U.S. law. Over the past few years, however, our asylum system has been transformed into a complex network of overlapping policies that are, by design, aimed at eviscerating the U.S. asylum system. Today, in contravention to public health experts’ guidance, the administration is wrongfully pointing to COVID-19 to deny our moral and legal obligations to welcome and process asylum seekers.
Our goal is to educate Members of Congress about the systematic destruction of asylum protections and the impact the administration’s anti-asylum policies have had on asylum seekers, immigrants, and unaccompanied children - for those on both sides of the southern U.S. border.
How to Participate
We will hold a virtual training on legislative meetings and schedule group virtual meetings with your Senators and/or Members of Congress as well as conduct digital advocacy. Participants will receive:
Training on Virtual Legislative Meetings -- date to-be-confirmed (late June/early July)
Schedule of Meetings with Your Members of Congress -- on July 14th, 15th, or 16th
Sample Talking Points and Asks for Your Meeting -- you will receive resources to help guide your meetings and we encourage you to share your personal stories and experiences
AWG and IIC Staff Support -- each meeting will include an accompanier to provide support
Advocacy and Social Media Toolkit -- the toolkit will include a call-in action, sample social media posts and graphics, and additional advocacy resources that you can share
Policy Asks
Defund unlawful anti-asylum policies (such as the asylum bans) and safeguard any USCIS appropriation.
Restore asylum protections and end immigrant detention, deportations.
Cosponsor pro-asylum legislation, such as the Refugee Protection Act (S.2936 / H.R.5210) and Asylum Seeker Protection Act (H.R. 2662).
To join us, please fill out this form. Your responses will help us with scheduling meetings with your Members of Congress during the virtual advocacy days. Feel free to share this invite widely with your networks!
Point of Contact
*Sent on behalf of the Asylum Working Group (AWG) and the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC)
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