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Support Immigrant Survivors: ICE's Response to Your Call for Protection of Immigrant Survivors is Not Sufficient
Dear colleagues,
In March of this year, you signed on to a letter of concern regarding the Department of Homeland Security's increased, indiscriminate interior enforcement actions, including the courthouse action taken against a victim of domestic violence.
Four months later, Acting ICE Director Homan sent
this response
to our letter, which fails to address our concerns about the impact on victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking in any meaningful way, but rather states that any individual encountered by ICE who is in violation of immigration laws may be taken into custody, and that numerous factors are considered in carrying out enforcement actions.
In response to Acting Director Homan's letter, the drafting organizations above wrote a joint statement objecting to ICE's failure to meaningfully address the negative impact on victims.
Now, more than ever, we need your help! It is clear that the Administration will continue to disregard the intent of the Violence Against Women Act and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act by actively pursuing enforcement actions against victims unless we stand up and support survivors.
TAKE ACTION
- Use this template statement as an op-ed or press statement to lift up your concerns that immigrant victims and witnesses lives are at risk! Simply fill in your organization's information and any quote about your concerns about immigrant enforcement.
- Victims of violence shouldn't have to chose between living with abuse or facing deportation. We stand with immigrants and call on ICE and DHS to protect survivors and stop arrests at courthouses. #SafeCourtsForSurvivors #SupportDontDeport
- [Our organization] is deeply alarmed by ICE's unwillingness to recognize that increased enforcement and making arrests at courthouses make our communities less safe. Immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and trafficking deserve protection. #SupportSurvivors #DefundHate
- Victims of violence should never be forced to choose between living with abuse or facing deportation #SupportDontDeport
- [Organization name] calls on @DHSgov and @ICEgov to stop arrests at courthouses and to #SupportSurvivors #SafeCourtsForSurvivors
- Immigrant survivors of domestic/sexual violence & human trafficking should be protected, not deported #SupportSurvivors #DefundHate
- Ask to speak with a staff person who deals with appropriations (specifically DHS appropriations). If they are unavailable, leave a voicemail.
- I am a constituent in your district and I am calling to ask your office to reject increased funding for immigration enforcement purposes in the current DHS appropriations bill. Victims of violence should never be forced to choose between living with abuse or facing deportation. Please support or sponsor an amendment barring DHS funding from being spent to detain or deport victims and witnesses or those eligible for protection under the Violence Against Women Act or the Traffic Victims Protection Act, and increase resources for USCIS to process VAWA and TVPA related cases.
- I urge you to make a Floor speech or put out a statement opposing increasing funding for immigration detention, ICE agents, and Border Patrol Agents, with examples of enforcement against victims and witnesses.
- Support all efforts to protect DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
- If the staff person says they will reject or have already rejected the DHS appropriations bill, thank them for supporting immigrant victims and survivors!
- I stand with immigrant survivors of violence. @[Legislator] Will you stand with me? #DefundHate #SafeCourtsForSurvivors
Post your statement on social media!
Sample Facebook post:
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Victims of violence shouldn't have to chose between living with abuse or facing deportation. We stand with immigrants and call on ICE and DHS to protect survivors and stop arrests at courthouses. #SafeCourtsForSurvivors #SupportDontDeport
Sample Tweets (Consider tagging @DHSgov and @ICEgov):
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Victims of violence should never be forced to choose between living with abuse or facing deportation #SupportDontDeport
Reach out to your Members of Congress!
- Find your House member: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ You can find your Representative by entering your zip code. When you find them, click on their name. This will take you to their individual website, where you can get their number. Phone numbers are typically at the bottom of the representative's webpage or on a "Contact Us" tab. You can also call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 225-3121.
- Find your Senator: https://www.senate.gov by scrolling on the directory at the top left of the website.
Here's What You Can Say:
- I am a constituent in your district and I am calling to ask your office to reject increased funding for immigration enforcement purposes in the current DHS appropriations bill. Victims of violence should never be forced to choose between living with abuse or facing deportation. Please support or sponsor an amendment barring DHS funding from being spent to detain or deport victims and witnesses or those eligible for protection under the Violence Against Women Act or the Traffic Victims Protection Act, and increase resources for USCIS to process VAWA and TVPA related cases.
- I urge you to make a Floor speech or put out a statement opposing increasing funding for immigration detention, ICE agents, and Border Patrol Agents, with examples of enforcement against victims and witnesses.
- Support all efforts to protect DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
- If the staff person says they will reject or have already rejected the DHS appropriations bill, thank them for supporting immigrant victims and survivors!
Tweet your Representatives:
I stand with immigrant survivors of violence. @[Legislator] Will you stand with me? #DefundHate #SafeCourtsForSurvivors
Help protect immigrant survivors of DV/SA/HT. @[Legislator] reject funding that increases immigration enforcement and harms survivors
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