Take Action to #DefundHate

As the administration increases its attacks on immigrants, refugees, and people of color, it's more important than ever to stand with our neighbors. For example, DHS just terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaragua and forced an insufficient extension of only six months for Honduras. As the administration wrongfully terminates TPS designations - a humanitarian tool used to protect people from being returned to harm - we must cut funding that would be used to deport and detain our immigrant neighbors, including TPS holders. Congress must hear our voices loud and clear: Defund the deportation machine that will tear families and communities apart. Congress has the “power of the purse” and can reject this proposal and defund the deportation, detention, and militarization machine.

Here are five more ways to take action:

1. Call Congress at (202) 224-3121: Please call 3 times to connect with your 2 Senators & 1 Representative. Here's an example of what to say: 

"I'm your constituent from [CITY/TOWN], and [as a person of faith] I urge you to cut  funding for detention, deportation, and border militarization. I don’t want Congress to write Trump a check to deport and detain my community members. This funding fuels agencies like ICE and CBP which have a long track record of lying, hiding information, and retaliating against those who speak out against them. We need to use public funds for needed resources like healthcare, education, and housing, instead of this hateful detention and deportation machine. We ask [Senator/Representative] to publicly call for significant cuts to ICE and CBP and be a voice to #DefundHate."

2. Tweet at your Members of Congress: Click here for the #DefundHate social media toolkit that includes sample messages, graphics, and twitter handles.

3. Join the TPS Prayer Chain and Share on Social Media: Record a video of yourself holding a printed, filled out #Faith4TPS sign. Upload your video to Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook with the hashtag #Faith4TPS and tag the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (@interfaithimm). Don't forget to tweet at your Members of Congress and @realDonaldTrump. Click here for sample social media posts and here for graphics.

4. Write & Share Press Releases Condemning TPS Terminations: Press releases increase public education and raise the public profile of why TPS is important to our communities. We encourage faith organizations to take a public stance condemning Nicaragua's TPS termination, denouncing the cruelty in only a 6-month extension for Honduras, urging the administration to extend TPS designations for all TPS countries for at least 18 months, and calling on Congress to pass a permanent solution for TPS holders. CWS's statement is available here.

5. Plan #Faith4TPS Events: Host an interfaith vigil, educate your faith community, and organize other events to lift up the importance of TPS. Local actions are a great way to amplify voices of TPS holders in the media, and don’t forget to invite your national, state, and local officials. Click here to view our Interfaith Toolkit to Defend TPS to learn more.

Action alert from Church World Service