From even before taking office, the Trump administration has made it clear that it intends to turn its back on people in need of safety and a new home. Many are refugees and asylum seekers who fled from violence, torture and persecution in their home countries and simply hope for a chance to rebuild their lives in safety. But instead of welcoming them, the administration has time and time again implemented dangerous and discriminatory policies blocking children, families and individuals from coming in to the U.S. Among them are bans that arbitrarily bar anyone from several Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., the implementation of extreme vetting procedures for refugees going through the resettlement process, despite the already arduous and years-long security process in place for refugees to be eligible for resettlement to the U.S., and the restriction of the universal right to access asylum at the border — in violation of U.S. law stating any individual can request asylum whether or not they are at an official port-of-entry. These policies are not only cruel and senseless, they have manufactured a crises of the administration’s own making. Instead of making our country safe, these policies have endangered thousands of lives, torn families apart, and abandoned values long cherished by so many in the U.S. While these unlawful restrictions are battled in the courts, Congress must step up to prevent the administration from carrying out these inhumane policies. Your Senators and Members of Congress need to hear from you, their constituents, that they must sign on to the NO BAN Act because you welcome refugees and do not support banning people because of who they are or where they come from.
