Take Action: Say “No” to Senate effort to undercut asylum for kids

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Daily Dispatch

August 1, 2019

Today the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to debate and mark up Senator Graham’s The Secure and Protect Act (S1494) -  a proposal that would seriously undermine the asylum process, particularly impact children.

The Quixote Center joined with dozens of other organizations in signing a letter to committee members stating opposition to this legislation. A summary below from RAICES:

Senator Graham's anti-asylum bill would

• Extend time immigrant children spend in detention (nullifying the Flores settlement) 
• Give the Department of Homeland Security “unreviewable discretion to determine the conditions of these facilities”
• Limit asylum claims to only those entering via ports of entry, which violates both domestic and international law
• Require unaccompanied children to apply for asylum within one year
• Prohibit states from requiring that family detention centers be certified by the state
• Create “refugee processing centers” in other countries which will further limit asylum claims as these claims will then be subject to refugee caps based on the President’s set number, which has been historically low under the Trump Administration
• The end goal of this legislation is to completely strip humanitarian protections for immigrants and asylum-seeking newcomers to the United States and to reduce the number of asylum claims allowed. It’s, in essence, a way to subvert our duty to provide a legal process for those fleeing extreme and alarming violence in their home countries to seek refuge in the United States.

If your Senator is on the Judiciary Committee, please let them know ASAP, that you do not support this bill (S 1494). To connect by phone, U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121.

The Senate Judiciary Committee

Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chair

Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

John Cornyn (R-TX)

Michael S. Lee (R-UT)

Ted Cruz (R-TX)

Ben Sasse (R-NE)

Joshua D. Hawley (R-MO)

Thom Tillis (R-NC)

Joni  Ernst (R-IA)

Mike Crapo (R-ID)

John Kennedy (R-LA)

Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) Ranking member

Patrick Leahy (D-VT) 

Dick Durbin (D-IL) 

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) 

Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) 

Christopher A. Coons (D-DE) 

Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) 

Mazie Hirono (D-HI) 

Cory Booker (D-NJ) 

Kamala Harris (D-CA)

RAICES has set up a platform from which you can Tweet members of the committee here.

Note: The regular Daily Dispatch has been delayed this week due to staff planning sessions and some vacation time. We will be back full force next week!!