Act now to protect immigrant families

Update: The House of Representatives voted to pass these anti-immigrant measures. The Senate is expected to vote against them and even if they did pass in the Senate, President Obama has said he would veto them. 
 

Certain members of Congress are launching an attack on immigrant families. Tomorrow the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on measures that would reverse President Obama’s executive action on immigration and will put millions of families at risk of permanent separation.

The proposed legislation and amendments will end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, stop the creation of a similar program to give temporary relief to parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, and weaken the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.

The executive action President Obama announced in November 2014 allows nearly five million aspiring Americans to come out of the shadows and contribute more fully to society and the economy. Among those eligible for temporary legal status are parents of U.S. citizen and lawful permanent resident children, and individuals who came to the United States as young children.

Carla and Gael are two of the millions of U.S. citizen children who will not have to worry about being separated from their parents as a result of the president’s announcement. Their parents have lived in the United States for 15 years; they volunteer for their church and pay taxes. A few years ago, Carla and Gael’s father was placed in removal proceedings. Carla and Gael anxiously await a decision on a request to let their father stay with their family. But now, their father qualifies for temporary protection from deportation under President Obama’s executive action. This means that Carla and Gael will be able to leave for school knowing that both their parents will still be there when they come home at the end of the day.

The U.S. House of Representatives’ vote tomorrow could eliminate protections for families like Carla and Gael’s, as well as safeguards for children fleeing violence.

Call your representative and tell them to vote NO on H.R. 191 and amendments to H.R. 240.

1. Call the congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your representatives.
2. Here’s a sample script: Hello, my name is [your name] and I’m from [City, State]. I’m calling to ask Representative [Congress Member’s Name] to vote NO on H.R. 191 and amendments to H.R. 240. These bills would eliminate important protections for aspiring Americans, and for children and families seeking safety in the United States. Instead, as a constituent, I urge Representative [Congress Member’s Name] to focus on passing comprehensive immigration reform that keeps families together and reflects American values.

Here’s a little more information about the anti-immigrant legislation being voted on tomorrow:

• Amendments to Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Appropriations Bill H.R. 240 terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which has allowed millions of DREAMers to live and work without fear of deportation. Other amendments to this bill stop expansion of DACA and the creation of a similar program, Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA), to provide relief to parents of U.S. citizen and lawful permanent resident children.
• Representative Aderholt’s (R-AL) H.R. 191 repeals DACA and DAPA. It also weakens the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) eliminating critical due process protections for children. Without the TVPRA, many children may be deported back into harm’s way before they even have the opportunity to tell their stories in court.