FW: Urgent: Demand Congress REJECT Rollbacks to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act
Joan VanBecelaere
From our Ohio Interfaith partners.
Joan Van Becelaere
From: ohio-cir-faith...@googlegroups.com [mailto:ohio-cir-faith...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of The Rev deniray mueller
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2014 7:01 AM
To: 'Amy Baird '; 'Ariel Miller'; 'Gary Haslop'; Marjorie Menaul ; 'Nancy Sullivan'; 'Rev Canon Anne Reed'; 'Rev Canon Dr Karl Ruttan'; 'Rev Canon Joanna Leierson '; 'Rev deniray mueller'; 'Rev Dick Schisler'; 'Rev Dr Connie McCarroll'; Rev Dr Lee Anne Reat; 'Rev Frank A. Edmands'; 'Rev Gary Lubin'; 'Rev Irene Radcliff'; 'Rev Jackie Burns'; 'Rev Jackie Williams'; 'Rev Jim Miner'; 'Rev Mary Raysa'; 'Rev Meribah Mansfield'; 'Rev Paula M. Jackson'; 'Rev Richard A Burnett '; 'Diane Donato'; mcg...@montcourt.org; 'Peggy Lobes '; 'Rev David McCoy '; 'Rev Don Eager'; 'Rev Douglas Argue'; 'Rev Robert Ficks'; 'Rt Rev Kenneth Price '; 'Rt Rev Thomas E Breidenthal'
Cc: Diocesan Deacons Listserve; Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Subject: Urgent: Demand Congress REJECT Rollbacks to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act
Importance: High
Hi friends - as you know, both President Obama and Congress are proposing changes to the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) that would result in deporting children to unsafe situations. There is an urgent need to push against these negative changes.
Please see the below and attached action action about this - please fee free to modify for your networks, and please send out far and wide. Please direct folks to this link: bit.ly/TheyAreChildren, which is intentionally unbranded so that all can use it, and will be updated as things move on this. Thank you!
URGENT: CALL THE SENATE & HOUSE TODAY!
Demand that Congress REJECT Rollbacks to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act
Proposals to "deport children more quickly" would return unaccompanied children to exploitation, trafficking and unsafe situations
As the U.S. government responds to the humanitarian crisis faced by unaccompanied children and families fleeing violence in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, both President Obama and some Members of Congress are proposing changes to the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2008. The TVPRA passed both chambers of Congress by unanimous consent and was signed into law by President Bush to address our international obligations of not returning vulnerable migrants to danger and to reduce the likelihood that the U.S. would deport children back into the hands of traffickers and others who would exploit them.
Changes to the TVPRA would mean that children would not have a meaningful opportunity to have their story heard, apply for asylum, or be cared for humanely by child welfare personnel, and would be deported to potentially life-threatening situations. Congress should not rescind this bipartisan law at precisely the time when more children are in need of these protections. The U.S. must show leadership by finding ways to reduce the violence these children face in their home countries, rather than immoral proposals to deport them more quickly. More than 4,000 people of faith have already urged Congress and the Administration to uphold these protections in a letter delivered to Congress and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.
This heartbreaking story, shared by a partner of a Jesuit social center in Honduras is one of many that shows why these children need access to protection: After “Leticia” was raped by over a dozen gang members, she and her family reported the crime to the police. They immediately began to receive death threats. In the absence of any protection, and likely complicity by police in the gang’s terror campaign, the local partner attempted to relocate Leticia to a women’s shelter. The shelter refused to take the case because of fear that they would not be able to protect either Leticia or their other beneficiaries from the gang. In the end to protect Leticia from further harm, she had to be sent to another country.
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Keep up the pressure on social media!
Go to bit.ly/TheyAreChildren to urge Congress to oppose proposals that would hurt unaccompanied children: Ex: .@SpeakerBoehner As a person of faith I urge you to oppose TVPRA changes that would deport kids to unsafe situations #TheyAreChildren #UACs (Note: the first period “.” Is important)
Follow @InterfaithImm on Twitter and "like" Interfaith Immigration Coalition on Facebook for up-to-date alerts.
Telephone Prompt: Thank you for calling your Representative and Senators as they consider changes to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act that would return children to exploitation, trafficking and unsafe situations.
When you call, tell the receptionist your State and Congregation, and that you urge your Representative or Senator to oppose any rollbacks to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, and that you expect them to stand firm against any proposal that would sacrifice a child's safety for expediency. The U.S. must instead find ways to reduce the violence these children face in their home countries, and ensure that children who arrive to the U.S. have access to the legal counsel and services they need.”
You will now be connected to your Representative or Senator's office. Please call this number three times, to be connected with your Representative and both your Senators. For more information, go to bit.ly/TheyAreChildren. Thank you again!
Jen Smyers
Associate Director, Immigration & Refugee Policy
Church World Service
110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 404
Washington, DC 20002
Office: +1.202.481.6935
Mobile: +1.202.420.0863
Fax: +1.202.546.6232
Skype: jsmyerscws
Email: jsm...@cwsglobal.org
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Rev. Noel Andersen
Grassroots Coordinator for Immigrants’ Rights
Church World Service
Mobile: 510.334.0431
Fax: 202.546.6232
skype: nandersencws
Email: nand...@cwsglobal.org
110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 404
Washington, DC 20002
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