Today (Friday, January 27) President Trump is expected to sign an Executive Order that will bring changes to the refugee program, including large-scale cuts to arrivals and changes to the list of countries from which the United States will accept refugees.
An executive order is different from a law, which is decided on by Congress. It is an act carried out unilaterally by the President. That does not mean, however, that we cannot do anything.
Even after this order is signed, it is critical that we continue to show our support for the refugee program. The President has committed to reviewing the refugee program over the next four months, and needs to hear from constituents that support refugees!
There are five simple steps you can take right now to help show your support for refugees
1) Tweet at President Trump: Use @POTUS and/or @realDonaldTrump – see below for sample tweets. President Trump has shown himself to be much more responsive to Tweets than most leaders.
2) Send the White House a Message: You can do so through the White House website here or through their Facebook page right here. Scroll down for a sample message you can use.
3) Call the White House Comment Line: It is still operational, despite some articles to the contrary. You can call 202-456-1111. Scroll down for a sample message. At times, you may get a busy signal or the line may be shut down all together. We suggest trying again at a later time, or using a different contact method.
4) Sign the Petition: Our national partners have organized an online petition and are urging others to sign on. You can find that petition here.
5) Call Your Congressmen: Ask them to stand up for the refugee program and tell President Trump to continue refugee arrivals. See below for how to reach your Congressmen.
** Don’t for get to also plan to visit the State Capitol with us on Mach 7. Join us at the New Americans Celebration to show our state leadership that Georgia supports refugee resettlement. You can learn more, and RSVP, here.
** If you haven’t already, be sure that you sign up for our Action Alerts to stay up-to-date on the most recent issues affecting refugees and what you can do to help. You can sign up by following this link.
Sample Messages for President Trump
As always, we strongly encourage you to use these as suggestions to build your own message. Personal messages are most impactful when making any contact with your leadership.
Tweets:
a) .@realDonaldTrump & @POTUS Don’t stop welcoming refugees. Resettlement demonstrates the best of our values #RefugeesWelcome
b) .@realDonaldTrump & @POTUS Keep America welcoming. Refugee resettlement is a proud American legacy with bipartisan support #RefugeesWelcome
c) .@realDonaldTrump & @POTUS People of faith OPPOSE a religious litmus test for refugees bit.ly/FaithLeaders4ALLRefugees
hias.org/1500rabbis #RefugeesWelcome
d) .@realDonaldTrump & @POTUS Denying Muslim refugees safety is an affront to religious liberty #RefugeesWelcome
bit.ly/FaithLeaders4ALLRefugees hias.org/1500rabbis.
e) .@realDonaldTrump & @POTUS More than 800 faith leaders are opposed to any policy that would keep Muslim refugees from seeking safety: bit.ly/FaithLeaders4ALLRefugees
Facebook or Email Message to President Trump:
‘President Trump, We are hearing that you will stop refugee resettlement based on someone’s nationality or religion. I am strongly opposed to any policy change that would deny access to refugees based on their religion or nationality. Please reject such ideas, as a religious litmus test for safety is an affront to religious liberty. I urge you to welcome refugees and support the U.S. refugee resettlement program. Resettlement is a core American legacy that extends hospitality and offers a chance for refugees to rebuild their lives in safety and dignity. My community welcomes refugees and I urge you to reflect the best of our nation by supporting refugee resettlement in the United States.’
How to Contact Your Congressmen
Each person in Georgia has the same two senators:
Senator Isakson: 202-224-3643
Senator Perdue: 202-224-3521
To find your representative, go to the US House web site and enter your zip code. You may need to add your plus four. For those who know their representatives, our Metro Atlanta area representatives are:
Congressman Hank Johnson (Dist. 4): 202-225-1605
Congressman John Lewis (Dist. 5): 202-225-3801
Congressman Tom Price (Dist. 6): 202-225-4501
Congressman Rob Woodall (Dist. 7): 202-225-4272
Sample Messages for Your Congressmen:
“I’m your constituent from [City], and I support refugee resettlement in the U.S. I am strongly opposed to the announcement expected from President Trump that would reduce refugee admissions, stop resettling refugees from certain countries, and give preference to religious minorities. This discriminatory announcement runs counter to who we are as a nation, and does not reflect the welcome for refugees I see in my community every day. Please urge President Trump to abandon this plan and do everything in your power to stop this announcement.”
As always, we strongly suggest you use this as an outline to develop your own language for calls!
Don’t forget to share a personal story about why YOU support refugees.