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Slide1
interfaithimmigration.org
Call and Webinar will begin on Monday, June 15th at 4 p.m. ESTFor audio, please dial 805-399-1000 and enter access code 104402Audio Visual Link is at http://join.me/faith4immigration
Slide2Agenda
4:00 Welcome 4:05 World Refugee Day & Refugee Community Advocacy Week4:12 Syrian refugee crisis & advocacy push4:20 Central American children & families4:27 The Strengthening Refugee Resettlement Act & Social Media around World Refugee Day4:35 Upcoming Legislation, Refugee Funding & The White House Task Force on New Americans4:42 Civic Engagement
4:50 Questions, Brainstorming & Sharing Ideas
World Refugee Day
WRD is a perfect time to:Build positive relationships with your policy makersInfluence funding and policies for refugee resettlementFind & energize local advocatesIt’s easy to incorporate these goals into what you’re already planning for World Refugee Day!
Slide4www.rcusa.org/wrd2015
Slide5Faith World Refugee Day Materials
5
www.interfaithimmigration.org/2015/06/05/religious-holiday-resources
Refugee Council USA 2015 Advocacy Toolkit
Church World Service: Refugee Resources
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service: Refugee Sunday Resources
Episcopal Church: Refugee Resources
US Conference of Catholic Bishops: Prayer for Migrant Families
USCCB: Migrant and Refugee Children Resource
USCCB: A Prayer for Migrant Children
Slide6“Speech!” “Photo Op!”
Invite policy makers to your event! Ask them to give a speech, kick off the event with opening remarks, introduce a refugee, present awards, conduct a citizenship pledge, etcSend photos from your event to your local politicians to educate them & encourage them to attend next year!Share photos with your advocacy staff too, so we can encourage members of congress to be champions for refugees.
Slide7Make an announcement!
Ask everyone to call congress – right now! all together! Have attendees sign up for your organization’s advocacy alertsSet up a table for writing or signing letters thanking a policy maker or asking them to be a champion for refugeesUse momentum from the event to start or grow an advocacy team!Make it easy! Modify the sample advocacy flyer in the WRD Advocacy Toolkit
Slide8Refugee Community Advocacy Week: Local congressional visits June 29 – July 6
Work with refugees, case managers, volunteers, employers, board members, etc. to put a team together and request a meeting with your Senators and Representatives – or their staff - when they are in their home offices between June 29 – July 2You can educate them about who refugees are, how your community welcomes refugees, and ask them to:Co-sponsor The Protecting Religious Minorities Persecuted by ISIS Act HR 1568Oppose legislation that would reduce protections for unaccompanied childrenEnsure the refugee program is robustly funded and reformed in positive ways through the Domestic Refugee Resettlement Reform and Modernization Act, HR 1784
and S. 883
and the
Strengthening Refugee Resettlement Act,
HR 651
, soon to be reintroduced from last Congress
This is a great opportunity to share photos from your World Refugee Day events and invite them to attend next year!
See the easy how-to guide in RCUSA’s WRD Advocacy Toolkit at
www.rcusa.org/wrd2015
Syrian Refugee Crisis:
Update From the RegionThere are now 4 million Syrian refugees as the Syrian conflict enters its fifth year. 75% of these refugees are women and children.The vast majority of Syrian refugees are “urban refugees,” meaning that they do not live in refugee camps.Protection space in the region is shrinking by the day. Countries of first asylum for Syrians, including Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt have essentially closed their borders. Turkey continues welcoming Syrians but their national systems are overwhelmed.Refugees are often prohibited from working legally or greatly limited to do so; they lack shelter, food, water, and health care; and, many Syrian refugee children are not able to attend school.RCUSA trip report: At the Breaking Point: Refugees in Jordan and Egypt
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops trip report:
Refuge and Hope in the Time of ISIS
.
Slide10Syrian Refugee Crisis: Key Recommendations
United States should resettle at least 65,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2016, increasing the PD to 100,000Maintain secure processing but eliminate delays and redundancies in security checks.Identify specific refugees for group processingExpand family reunification opportunities to allow Syrians in in the U.S. to file affidavits of relationship (AORs) even if they did not arrive as refugees
Slide11Protecting Religious Minorities Persecuted by ISIS Act, H.R. 1568
Bipartisan: introduced by Representatives Vargas (D-CA-51), Rooney (R-FL-17), Conyers (D-MI-13), Hunter (R-CA-50). Now 21 bi-partisan co-sponsors.Reaffirm U.S. refugee protection policy of supporting refugees in host countries to allow those who are able and willing to return home and rebuild when peace comes.Help Syrian & Iraqi refugees facing gender-based violence and religious and ethnic minorities.Open more processing entities, increase staff, maintain strong security while streamlining security process, expand video interviewing, and improve accountability and transparency.
Slide12Children and Families Fleeing Violence in Central America
In FY 2014, a record 68,445 families with children 68,541 unaccompanied childrenfrom Central America sought safety in the U.S., continuing an increasing trend from the previous four fiscal years
Slide13Arrivals of Families and Children: Update
Arrivals of Unaccompanied ChildrenFY14 (Q1 and Q2): 28,579Fy15 (Q1 and Q2): 15,647Change: -45%Arrivals of Families FY14 (Q1 and Q2): 19,830Fy15 (Q1 and Q2): 13,911Change: -30%
Slide14Administrative Response to Arrival of Families
The Administration began imposing “no release” policies and quickly expanded the use of family detention to 3,700 planned family detention beds, an increase from 100 family detention beds in May 2014.
Slide15Harmful Legislation
H.R. 1149-The Protection of Children Act of 2015rolls back TVPRA protectionschanges definition of UACH.R. 1153-the Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act erects additional barriers to asylum reduces TVPRA protectionsexpands child immigration detentionlimits access to due protection and the asylum process
Slide16Congressional Asks to help Families
from Central AmericaEnd Family DetentionThere is no humane way to detain childrenThese are refugeesAsk Members to:Make floor speechesReach out to the Administration (White House and DHS)
Slide17Congressional Asks to help Children from Central America
Oppose bills like H.R.1149, the "Protection of Children Act" and H.R.1153 the "Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act" which would rollback the bipartisan Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2008. The TVPRA passed both chambers of Congress unanimously and was signed into law by President Bush to reduce the likelihood that the U.S. would deport children back into the hands of traffickers and others who would exploit them. These children and families are escaping gang violence, sexual and gender-based violence, forced recruitment, domestic abuse, and trafficking. Current process that allow them to seek protection should not be eroded.
Slide18The Strengthening Refugee Resettlement Act
If enacted, this bill would:Admit refugees as Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders)Expand case management and employment and integration servicesCreate a domestic resettlement emergency fund and help with secondary migrationRCUSA World Refugee Day Virtual Town Hall featuring Congressman Keith Ellison (MN-5)June 16th at 6:00pm EST
Call-in number: 559.726.1200 Passcode: 489579
Please RSVP at
www.tinyurl.com/WRD2015
or contact Elizabeth.Mandelman@hias.org
18
Slide19World Refugee Day
TwitterchatThursday, June 18th3pm ETFollow and use hashtag #refugeechat to participate
Help spread the word!
Circulate graphic
via Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, and websites.
Invite followers to submit questions in advance
to @
RefugeeAssist
using #
refugeechat
. No Twitter account? Submit questions via Facebook message to the Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project Facebook page using #
refugeechat
.
19
Slide20World Refugee DaySocial Media
Make sure to use the hashtag #WRD2015Visit http://www.rcusa.org/wrd2015 for more resources and information on WRD events happening around the country.20
Slide21Other Refugee Legislationsoon to be re-introduced!
Domestic Refugee Resettlement Reform & Modernization Act, HR 1784 & S. 883Elevate ORR within the HHS bureaucracy Allow formula state funding to include projected arrivalsHelp with data collection & assistance to secondary migrantsRequire the federal government to analyze the challenges refugees and communities face and the effectiveness of efforts to help refugees attain self-sufficiencyZero cost
Slide22White House Task Force for New Americans
"Strengthening Communities by Welcoming All Residents: A Federal Strategic Action Plan on Immigrant & Refugee Integration strategy”http://www.rcusa.org/domestic-issueshttp://
uscisconnect.ideascale.com
Slide23White House Task Force for New Americans
Making refugees part of the discussion
Slide24Refugee Funding
The Refugee and Entrant Assistance (REA) account in the Labor, Health and Human Services bill funds the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to help refugees integrate in their new communities. RCUSA recommends that Congress appropriate $2.101 billion for ORR in fiscal year 2016.The Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) account in the State Department / Foreign Operations bill funds the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) to help displaced persons internationally and provide initial assistance for refugees resettled in the United States. RCUSA recommends that Congress appropriate: $3.3 billion for the MRA account$100 million for the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance (ERMA) account$2.5 billion for the International Disaster Assistance (IDA) account of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Slide25Civic Engagement
Civic engagement is a key component of integrationVoting and participating in civil society are key to the integration process.When naturalized U.S. citizens exercise their right to vote, they empower themselves to be full members of their new communities. While immigrants and refugees who are not yet naturalized cannot yet vote, they can help with get-out-the-vote activities. Civic engagement work is non-partisan, and does not endorse any candidate or political partyRCUSA members are 501(c)3 organizations that do not endorse any party or candidate. You should never mention a political party or candidate while registering people to vote.
Slide26World Refugee Day events are great opportunities to register naturalized citizens to vote and share stories about individuals who are voting for the first time, to motivate everyone to register to vote and show up on election day.
Voter registration cards, absentee and early voting ballotsClip boards, a visual flow chart on voter registration and sample scripts for volunteersCommitment cards asking people to promise to vote on election day and a volunteer sign-up sheetState voter information from your Election Office, including a map of jurisdictions & polling placesSigns: “Register to Vote Here!” & “Voter registration available without regard for the voter’s political preference.”Tally sheet for reporting your activity at the end of the dayVoter Registration Table Checklist
Slide27IIC Contacts by organization
African American Ministers in Action: Leslie Malachi, lmalachi@pfaw.orgAmerican Baptist Home Mission Societies of the American Baptist Churches, USA: Aundreia Alexander, Aundreia.Alexander@abhms.orgAmerican Friends Service Committee:
Lia Lindsey,
llindsey@afsc.org
American Jewish Committee:
Chelsea Hanson,
hansonc@ajc.org
Bread for the World Institute:
Andrew
Wainer
,
awainer@bread.org
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):
Sharon Stanley,
sstanley@dhm.disciples.org
Christian Reformed Church
Kris Van
Engen
,
kvanengen@
crcna.org
Church of the Brethren:
Nate
Hosler
,
nhosler@brethren.org
Church World Service:
Jen Smyers,
jsmyers@cwsglobal.org
Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach: Chloe Schwabe,
cschwabe@columban.org
Conference of Major Superiors of Men:
Eli McCarthy
emccarthy@cmsm.org
Daughters of Charity:
Mary
Ellen Lacey,
Maryellen.lacy@doc.org
Episcopal Church:
Katie Conway,
kconway@episcopalchurch.org
Franciscan Action Network:
Marie
Lucey
,
lucey@franciscanaction.org
Friends Committee on National Legislation:
Ruth Flower,
flower@fcnl.org
HIAS:
Liza Lieberman,
liza.lieberman@hias.org
Interfaith Worker Justice:
Michael Livingston,
mlivingston@iwj.org
Irish Apostolate USA:
Geri Garvey,
administrator@usairish.org
Islamic Information Center:
(currently no contact available)
Jesuit Refugee Service/USA,
Mary Small,
msmall@jesuit.org
Jewish Council for Public Affairs:
Jill
Borak
,
jborak@thejcpa.org
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
: Ann Scholz, SSND
ascholz@lcwr.org
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service:
Brittney Nystrom,
Bnystrom@lirs.org
Maryknoll
Office for Global
Concerns:
Judy
Coode,
jcoode@maryknoll.org
Mennonite Central Committee:
Tammy Alexander,
TammyAlexander@mcc.org
Muslim Public Affairs Council:
Hoda
Elshishtawy
,
hoda@mpac.org
Sisters of the Good Shepherd:
Larry Couch,
lclobbyist@gsadvocacy.org
National Council of Churches:
Russell Meyer,
rmeyer@floridachurches.org
National Council of Jewish Women:
Madeline Shepherd,
madeline@ncjwdc.org
NETWORK Lobby:
Laura Peralta-
Schulte
LPeralta
@
networklobby.org
Pax
Christi:
Anne-Louise Nadeau,
anadeau@paxchristiusa.org
PICO:
Gordon Whitman,
gwhitman@piconetwork.org
Presbyterian Church, USA:
Teresa Waggener,
Teresa.Waggener@pcusa.org
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas:
Ryan Murphy,
rmurphy@sistersofmercy.org
Sojourners:
Ivone Guillen,
iguillen@sojo.net
3P Human Security
: Tom
Brenneman
,
cooperativebydesign@gmail.com
T’ruah
: The
Rabbinic Call for Human
Rights,
Rabbi Rachel Kahn-
Troster
rkahntroster@truah.org
Union for Reform Judaism
:
Jonathan
Edelman
jedelman
@
rac.org
Unitarian Universalist Association:
Jen Toth,
JToth@uua.org
United Church of Christ:
Rev. Mari
Castellanos
,
castellm@ucc.org
United Methodist Church:
Bill
Mefford
,
bmefford@umc-gbcs.org
UNITED SIKHS
:
Anisha
Singh,
anisha.singh@
unitedsikhs.org
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:
Kevin Appleby,
kappleby@usccb.org
U.S. Jesuit Conference,
Shaina
Aber
,
saber@jesuit.org
World Relief:
Jenny Hwang
jhwang@worldrelief.org