STOP TRUMP’S WAR ON IMMIGRANTS: DISAVOW “PUBLIC CHARGE” RULE
ACTION ONE: CALL YOUR SENATORS
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR WYDEN AND MERKLEY:
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling because…
We cannot allow Trump, by regulation, to usurp Congress’s role and radically transform America’s legal immigration system by discouraging immigrants from accessing “safety net” programs to which they are entitled and using a “wealth test” to keep out immigrants from poor countries. Both his racism and usurpation of legislative authority are impeachable offenses. My senator must:
- denounce this blatant attempt to “make America white again;”
- work with colleagues to swiftly pass a “Resolution of Disapproval;” under Congressional Review Act to prevent this disastrous rule from going into effect on October 15;
- push for immediate televised impeachment hearings in the House.
CALL SENATOR MERKLEY
CALL SENATOR WYDEN
ACTION TWO: CALL YOUR HOUSE REPS
Not sure who your U.S. Representative is? Find out here.
SAMPLE SCRIPTS FOR REPRESENTATIVES:
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling because…
We cannot allow Trump, by regulation, to usurp Congress’s role and radically transform America’s legal immigration system by discouraging immigrants from accessing “safety net” programs to which they are entitled and using a “wealth test” to keep out immigrants from poor countries. Both his racism and usurpation of legislative authority are impeachable offenses. My representative must:
- denounce this blatant attempt to “make America white again;”
- work with colleagues to swiftly pass a “Resolution of Disapproval;” under Congressional Review Act to prevent this disastrous rule from going into effect on October 15;
- work for swift passage of H.R. 3222 (No Federal Funds for Public Charge Act of 2019);
- push for immediate televised impeachment hearings in the House.
CALL SUZANNE BONAMICI (OR-01)
CALL GREG WALDEN (OR-02)
CALL BLUMENAUER (OR-03)
CALL PETER DEFAZIO (OR-04)
CALL KURT SCHRADER (OR-05)
ACTION THREE: HELP REGISTER VOTERS
INDIVISIBLE OREGON IS ORGANIZING LETTER-WRITING PARTIES USING SWING LEFT TOOLS TO CONTACT VOTERS WHOSE VOTER REGISTRATION DATA MAY NEED UPDATING.
FIND A LETTER WRITING PARTY NEAR YOU OR ORGANIZE ONE YOURSELF AT SWINGLEFT.ORG/EVENTS.
PORTLANDERS, JOIN A PARTY ON THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AND ONE SATURDAY. UPCOMING: AUG 27TH, 11AM AND SEPT 24TH, 11AM.
BACKGROUND:
On October 15, Trump’s new “public charge” rule—his boldest attempt to “make America white again” by declaring war on millions of immigrants and creating a wealth test to exclude future immigrants from poor countries of Latin America, Africa, and Asia who’re deemed “likely at any time to become a public charge.” It’s another attempt to marginalize poor and non-white immigrants by creating through regulation the “merit-based” system Trump’s been unsuccessful getting through Congress.
Until now, a “public charge” was one who primarily subsisted on receipt of public cash assistance. The new Rule expands the definition to include short-term, temporary reliance on government “safety net” programs, targeting vulnerable taxpaying immigrant families by forcing them to forego health care, go hungry or become homeless to stay on path to citizenship.
This diabolical policy could put more than 6 million immigrants at risk of being deemed “public charges” and have “chilling effect” on up to 26 million who’re unlikely to seek benefits for fear of jeopardizing their immigration status.
Congress cannot allow Trump to transform our legal immigration system and undermine democracy by preventing millions of immigrants from eventually becoming future voters. It must act swiftly to disapprove this power grab.