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Urgent Calls Needed to Protect Refugees and Children!

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Tell the House Judiciary Committee to Oppose H.R.495 and H.R.2826

Background: This Wednesday, June 14th, the House Judiciary Committee plans to mark up H.R.495, the “Protection of Children Act,” and H.R.2826, the “Refugee Program Integrity Restoration Act.” These bills would inflict harm upon unaccompanied children fleeing violence,  deny protection to vulnerable refugees, and negatively impact refugees resettled in the U.S.

The Protection of Children Act (H.R.495) would rollback the basic child welfare protections in the bipartisan Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA). Unaccompanied children fleeing violence from Central America are escaping gang violence, sexual and gender-based violence, forced recruitment, and are often victims of trafficking. Reducing vital protections for these children would allow them to be deported after only a cursory screening with a border patrol agent and result in many children being returned back into the hands of traffickers and others who seek to exploit them.

The Refugee Program Integrity Restoration Act (H.R.2826) would drastically reduce refugee admissions; place refugees under continual surveillance after they have arrived; and delay family reunification and integration by tripling the amount of time refugees have to wait until they receive green cards. It would allow state and local governments to veto resettlement, and revoke the refugee status of any refugee who returns to their country of origin. Under the guise of prioritizing religious minorities from countries of particular concern, H.R. 2826 would prevent Muslim refugees from being resettled in the United States.

All House Judiciary Committee Members need to hear from everyone who stands with refugees and unaccompanied children fleeing violence and persecution!

CALL TODAY: Tell House Judiciary Committee Members to
Vote NO on H.R.495 and H.R.2826
The direct phone lines of committee members are listed below.

Here’s an example of what to say: “I support refugee resettlement and believe in protecting unaccompanied children fleeing violence and persecution. I urge the Representative to REJECT H.R.495, the “Protection of Children Act” and H.R.2826, the “Refugee Program Integrity Restoration Act,” which are being considered by the House Judiciary Committee. H.R.495 would turn children back into the hands of traffickers and others who seek to exploit them. H.R.2826 would drastically reduce refugee admissions, place refugees under surveillance, allow state and local governments to veto resettlement, and deny life-saving protection to refugees fleeing for their lives. These bills run counter to the leadership of the United States and the welcome of the American people. Please vote NO on H.R.495 and H.R. 2826.”

  • Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA-06): 202-225-5431 @RepGoodlatte
  • Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-WI-05): 202-225-5101 @JimPressOffice
  • Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX-21): 202-225-4236 @LamarSmithTX21
  • Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH-01): 202-225-2216 @RepSteveChabot
  • Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA-49): 202-225-3906 @DarrellIssa
  • Rep. Steve King (R-IA-04): 202-225-4426 @SteveKingIA
  • Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ-08): 202-225-4576 @RepTrentFranks
  • Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX-01): 202-225-3035 @replouiegohmert
  • Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH-04): 202-225-2676 @Jim_Jordan
  • Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX-02): 202-225-6565 @TedPoe
  • Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT-03): 202-225-7751 @jasoninthehouse
  • Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA-10): 202-225-3731 @RepTomMarino
  • Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC-04): 202-225-6030 @TGowdySC
  • Rep. Raúl Labrador (R-ID-01): 202-225-6611 @Raul_Labrador
  • Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX-27): 202-225-7742 @farenthold
  • Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA-09): 202-225-9893 @RepDougCollins
  • Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-FL-06): 202-225-2706 @RepDeSantis
  • Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO-04): 202-225-4676 @RepKenBuck
  • Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX-04): 202-225-6673 @RepRatcliffe
  • Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL-02): 202-225-2901 @RepMarthaRoby
  • Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01): 202-225-4136 @MattGaetz
  • Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA-04): 202-225-2777 @RepMikeJohnson
  • Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05): 202-225-2635 @RepAndyBiggsAZ
  • Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI-13): 202-225-5126 @RepJohnConyers
  • Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY-10): 202-225-5635 @RepJerryNadler
  • Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19): 202-225-3072 @RepZoeLofgren
  • Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18): 202-225-3816 @JacksonLeeTX18
  • Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09): 202-225-3265 @RepCohen
  • Rep. Hank Johnson, Jr. (D-GA-04): 202-225-1605 @RepHankJohnson
  • Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL-22): 202-225-3001 @RepTedDeutch
  • Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL-04): 202-225-8203 @RepGutierrez
  • Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA-37): 202-225-7084 @RepKarenBass
  • Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA-02): 202-225-6636 @RepRichmond
  • Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08): 202-225-5936 @RepJeffries
  • Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI-01): 202-225-4911 @RepCicilline
  • Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15):  202-225-5065 @RepSwalwell
  • Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA-33): 202-225-3976 @RepTedLieu
  • Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08): 202-225-5341 @RepRaskin
  • Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07): 202-225-3106 @RepJayapal
  • Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL-10): 202-225-4835 @RepSchneider

Sample tweet: “.@REPRESENTATIVE, Our community welcomes #refugees and protects children. OPPOSE H.R.2826 & H.R.495 #RefugeesWelcome #GreaterAs1”

Follow @CWS_global on Twitter and “like” CWS Immigration and Refugee Program on Facebook for up-to-date alerts. Join our global home base for refugee solidarity—because we are all #GreaterAs1.
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