CALL TODAY: Urge Your Senators to Champion Refugee Resettlement in Confirmation Hearings

Background: President-Elect Trump has nominated individuals to fill cabinet positions in his administration. These nominations now go to the Senate for confirmation. Certain Senate committees will hold confirmation hearings in which they can ask the nominees questions. We would like Senators to ask questions about refugee resettlement to pertinent nominees.

See below a list of relevant committees that are preparing for these hearings and which states have Senators on those committees. Some of the hearings have already happened, but it is still helpful for them to hear from us, since the final votes have not yet happened. Please call your Senators and urge them to ask the nominees questions about the importance of refugee resettlement.

You can say: “I’m your constituent from [STATE], and my community welcomes refugees. As you prepare for the upcoming confirmation hearings, please ask the nominees to affirm the importance of the U.S. refugee resettlement program. Resettlement is a core American legacy that extends freedom and opportunity for refugees to rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.”

  • HELP Committee: Tom Price, Nominee for Secretary of Health & Human Services – Jan 18
  • Foreign Relations: Nikki Haley, Nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations – Jan 18 & Rex Tillerson, Nominee for Secretary of State – Jan 11
  • Judiciary Committee: Jeff Sessions, Nominee for Attorney General – Jan 10 & 11
  • Homeland Security Committee: General Kelly, Nominee for Secretary of Homeland Security – Jan 10

Alaska: Lisa Murkowski: HELP 202-224-6665

Arizona: Jeff Flake: Judiciary, Foreign Relations 202-224-4521 & John McCain: Homeland Security 202-224-2235

California: Dianne Feinstein: Judiciary 202-224-3841 & Kamala Harris: Homeland Security 202-224-3553

Colorado: Cory Gardner: Foreign Relations 202-224-5941 & Michael Bennet: HELP 202-224-5852

Connecticut: Chris Murphy: Foreign Relations, HELP 202-224-4041 & Richard Blumenthal: Judiciary 202-224-2823

Delaware: Christopher Coons: Foreign Relations, Judiciary 202-224-5042 & Tom Carper: Homeland Security 202-224-2441

Florida: Marco Rubio: Foreign Relations 202-224-3041

Georgia: Johnny Isakson: Foreign Relations, HELP 202-224-3643

Hawaii: Mazie Hirono: Judiciary 202-224-6361

Idaho: Jim Risch: Foreign Relations 202-224-2752 & Mike Crapo: Judiciary 202-224-6142

Illinois: Dick Durbin: Judiciary 202-224-2152

Indiana: Todd Young: Foreign Relations, HELP 202-224-5623

Iowa: Chuck Grassley: Judiciary 202-224-3744

Kansas: Pat Roberts: HELP 202-224-4774

Kentucky: Rand Paul: Foreign Relations, Homeland Security, HELP 202-224-4343

Louisiana: John Kennedy: Judiciary 202-224-4623 & Bill Cassidy: HELP 202-224-5824

Maine: Susan Collins: HELP 202-224-2523

Maryland: Ben Cardin: Foreign Relations 202-224-4524

Massachusetts: Ed Markey: Foreign Relations 202-224-2742 & Elizabeth Warren: HELP 202-224-4543

Michigan: Gary Peters: Homeland Security 202-224-6221

Minnesota: Amy Klobuchar: Judiciary 202-224-3244 & Al Franken: Judiciary, HELP 202-224-5641

Missouri: Claire McCaskill: Homeland Security 202-224-6154

Montana: Steve Daines: Homeland Security 202-224-2651 & Jon Tester: Homeland Security 202-224-2644

Nebraska: Ben Sasse: Judiciary 202-224-4224

New Hampshire: Jeanne Shaheen: Foreign Relations 202-224-2841 & Maggie Hassan: Homeland Security, HELP 202-224-3324

New Jersey: Bob Menendez: Foreign Relations 202-224-4744 & Cory Booker: Foreign Relations 202-224-3224

New Mexico: Tom Udall: Foreign Relations 202-224-6621

North Carolina: Thom Tillis: Judiciary 202-224-6342 & Richard Burr: HELP 202-224-3154

North Dakota: John Hoeven: Homeland Security 202-224-2551 & Heidi Heitkamp: Homeland Security 202-224-2043

Ohio: Rob Portman: Foreign Relations, Homeland Security 202-224-3353

Oklahoma: James Lankford: Homeland Security 202-224-5754

Oregon: Jeff Merkley: Foreign Relations 202-224-3753

Pennsylvania: Bob Casey: HELP 202-224-6324

Rhode Island: Sheldon Whitehouse: Judiciary, HELP 202-224-2921

South Carolina: Lindsey Graham: Judiciary 202-224-5972 & Tim Scott: HELP 202-224-6121

Tennessee: Bob Corker: Foreign Relations 202-224-3344 & Lamar Alexander: HELP 202-224-4944

Texas: John Cornyn: Judiciary 202-224-2934 & Ted Cruz: Judiciary 202-224-5922

Utah: Orrin Hatch: Judiciary, HELP 202-224-5251 & Mike Lee: Judiciary 202-224-5444

Vermont: Patrick Leahy: Judiciary 202-224-4242 & Bernie Sanders: HELP 202-224-5141

Virginia: Tim Kaine: Foreign Relations, HELP 202-224-4024

Washington: Patty Murray: HELP (202) 224-2621

Wisconsin: Ron Johnson: Foreign Relations, Homeland Security 202-224-5323 & Tammy Baldwin: HELP 202-224-5653

Wyoming: John Barrasso: Foreign Relations 202-224-6441 & Mike Enzi: Homeland Security, HELP 202-224-3424

If asked for specific examples of questions that the committee members could ask:

  • The U.S. refugee resettlement program has operated for more than 40 years, always with bipartisan support. Refugees are rigorously vetted by the Department of Defense, State Department, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and National Counter Terrorism Center. Resettlement is critical to refugees, communities that welcome them, and U.S. diplomatic efforts on regional stability, international security and the war on global terror. Will you affirm the importance of the refugee resettlement program?
  • Many U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are waiting to be reunited with an immediate family member through the U.S. refugee resettlement program. Family reunification is a fundamental human need, helps refugees integrate in their communities, and is part of U.S. obligations under the Refugee Convention. Will you affirm the importance of the U.S. refugee resettlement program, especially in the case of family reunification?
  • Do you believe that immigrants from certain nationalities or religions should be barred from the United States and/or tracked / surveilled while in the United States? If so, how would you defend this position given our country’s legacy and laws regarding religious freedom, civil liberties and equal protection?

Spread the word! Go to www.interfaithimmigration.org/confirmationhearings/ for more information.