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 CRLN in participating, please RSVP here by Wednesday, July 1st. Next, contact Claudia Lucero (clucero@crln.org) so that we know who from CRLN will participate.

AWG and IIC will schedule 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. You will be given tools to engage in digital advocacy even if you cannot participate in the virtual meetings.

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

Asylum processes and asylum protections for people fleeing from violence and persecution are 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.

The 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

AWG and IIC 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 sometime between 10am and 4pm
• Sample Talking Points and Asks for Your Meeting — You will receive resources to help guide your meetings, and we encourage you also 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

1. Defund unlawful anti-asylum policies (such as the asylum bans) and safeguard any USCIS appropriations.
2. Restore asylum protections and end immigrant detentions and deportations.
3. Cosponsor pro-asylum legislation, such as the Refugee Protection Act(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 invitation widely with your networks!

Please feel free to reach out to Aubrey Grant (grant.aubrey@gmail.com) with any questions.