Over the last month President Trump has focused a stream of racists tweets and ugly comments at a “caravan” of refugees and migrants from Central America and Mexico traveling north to seek asylum in the United States.

While ignoring U.S. support for the drug war and repressive government in Honduras that gave rise to the caravan, Trump spewed invective against these asylum seekers, depicting them as a national security threat to rally his nationalist base.

150 families and many unaccompanied children have now arrived at the border. They are requesting asylum and are being processed by border agents at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. U.S. laws grant asylum seekers a fair audience with a judge after a “credible fear” interview.

We think they should be given a fair hearing, but even before knowing the details of the cases, U.S. authorities, led by President Trump have sought to undermine the credibility of their claims.

Revealing woeful ignorance of the laws he is sworn to uphold, President Trump said they were “trying to take advantage of DACA” and DHS Secretary Nielsen said that they were trying to take advantage of “loopholes” in current immigration law.

Their anti-immigrant messaging is intended to influence the criteria of judges and the general public with false perceptions of “imminent influx of asylum seekers” with “harmful consequences”. The truth is U.S. border crossings along the southern border are at their lowest level since 1971.

These families are fleeing from organized violence in countries where U.S. policy has contributed to unlivable conditions. We owe them their human and legal rights as asylum seekers.

Call Department of Homeland Security Secretary Nielsen

Demand Secretary Nielsen allocate the necessary resources and personnel to ensure an expedited and due process for Central American families seeking asylum in the U.S.

 

 

For the last year immigrants and their allies have been playing defense in the face of insults, banning orders, threats, bullying, and unceasing talk about a border wall from the Trump administration.

One of the most injurious Administration actions was the cancellation of DACA. That put nearly 800,000 ‘dreamers’ — who immigrated to the US as children — in limbo, facing possible deportation.

This week, Trump revoked provisional residency permits (known as TPS) protecting more than 200,000 El Salvadorans. This move comes after the decision last November to deny TPS renewal to nearly 60,000 Haitians—who fled multiple earthquakes in their country.

With Trump and anti-immigrant forces in control, how can we fight back? 

In poll after poll, majorities of Americans demonstrate an understanding of the positive roles immigrants play in our society and favor sensible immigration reforms.

We must call on Congress to act!

The “Dream Act”, legislation designed to legalize immigrants who arrived here as children, polls well – even across party lines. It hit 86% approval in a September 2017 Washington Post–ABC survey. The same survey found 69% of US adults are “strongly” supportive of the Obama-era DACA program that protected “childhood arrivals.”

The tide is so strong that even Trump and his congressional accomplices feel the need to pay lip service to the Dream Act.

But don’t believe the hype.

Our unrelenting calls for a CLEAN Dream Act are working. Washington is feeling the heat and worrying about next November.

The time to fight is now. Keep the pressure on.

Call your Representative today. Tell them No DREAM, No debt Deal!  Ask them to support the introduction of a CLEAN Dream Act unencumbered by wall funding and other repressive measures.  Here is a short and easy script to follow:

The Dream Act has had bi-partisan support since it was first introduced into congress in the summer of 2001. It deserves a vote. Please pledge to vote for a government spending bill, only if it includes a clean version of the Dream Act.  And please make your pledge public. We are counting on you.

Please call Congress now to protect immigrants and their families.

An attack on any one of us, is an attack on all of us.

Attorney General, Jeff Sessions announced the termination of DACA this morning, ending protection for almost 800,000 immigrants who came to the United States as children and have already begun contributing to US society.

The move is heartless, foolish, and will bring long lasting, bitter, and well deserved repudiation to all in the Republican Party who support it.

The DACA decision comes just days after the pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio and makes chillingly clear that Trump’s embrace of a white supremacist agenda is not an aberration. Racism is the beating heart of Trump’s “America first” nationalism.

Trump’s DACA decision aims to break families, break communities, and break hearts. We must reject it with great force and moral courage that matches that of the “dreamers” who are standing up to be counted in the face of looming threats.

Hit the streets today, if you can.

There are actions happening all around the country, a few listed below. Join us in the streets today.

There are six months before the program ends, so we will need Congress to act. Follow our allies at United We Dream,www.unitedwedream.org, and Movimiento Cosecha, www.lahuelga.com, to learn about more ways to act.

There is a lot more fighting to do.

See you in the streets,