Immigration thread

[jkjacq]

I'll repost the Slate Article here, its a pretty good list of where to start if you are interested in help fight this.

slate.trib.al/W2kPzkX

Also the number to call Congress
Call congressional offices directly or through the switchboard. If you do not have the direct number, you can reach US representatives by calling 202-225-3121, and US senators by calling 202-224-3121. Ask the operator to connect you to the individual office.

[Minerva]

This was posted in one of the local DC activism groups as the backbone of a plan to address family separation. It’s a good start and I’m guessing many of us are already doing these things. Just a note - 48 Democrats have now signed onto DiFi’s Keep Families Together act. Manchin is the only D holdout. Flake, Corker, Collins, Murakowski, and McCain are all good senators to target right now.
............
Here's the current proposed plan. Let's call it "Operation Keep Families Together":

****PHASE ONE: Postcard Avalanche
Basically, we hit the DOJ (Sessions), DHS, and ICE with postcards simply worded to deliver our condemnation of this zero tolerance policy. This activity can be taken outside our group to anyone and everyone who wants to participate.

****PHASE TWO: Education & Advocacy
We flood Facebook and Twitter with information intended to educate ourselves and our friends and neighbors on the intricacies of this situation, which extends to current legislation, the obstacles to entering the country legally, the cultural profiles of migrants, etc. The objective is to dispel myths that feed into our collective complacency and confusion so we can become better advocates for migrants' rights and sway public opinion into a more active direction.

****PHASE THREE: Fundraising
Our group picks one (or more) non-profits who are on the front lines trying to reunite families and help asylum seekers and we put our money where our mouths are. This could include RAICES, K.I.N.D, the ACLU, etc.

****THROUGHOUT: Call our MoC
We light up the phones. This doesn't require a phase. We tell our senators to back Sen. Dianne Feinstein's bill (which currently has 32 senators backing it). We tell our representatives that they must wield whatever power they have to amend the GOP bill to remove its provision for funding a border wall. We urge everyone to investigate and shut down ICE and border patrol abuses. We thank those who have already worked to accomplish all of the above.

This is what we've got for now, but we won't launch without you. Last winter, we used our collective powers for good to save two Baltimore schools from a deep freeze - I think we can do this, too.

So the question is: are you in? If yes, let us know in the comments and share your thoughts on how we can make the biggest impact.

Thanks, in advance, for caring. Together, we can kill this hideous American tradition of tearing apart families of color.

#keepfamiliestogether

[cakewench]

It's OK guys. They're not cages. They're walls of chain link fence.

[cakewench]

Manchin has announced his support for DFein's bill - he was the last Democrat to do so:

Waiting on you, Republicans.

[misskilljoy]

Canadians who may be reading this: you can help too. Write to your MP and the PM and ask them to ditch the Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement. It's the treaty we signed which makes it almost impossible for asylum seekers to be approved to stay in Canada if they came through the US first. I wrote a letter to JT that I'll share here if anyone wants it. Letter behind the spoiler tags.

SPOILER: Click to show

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau,

I am writing to you today to express my shock, alarm, and concern over the forced separation of children from their parents in the United States of America. It is not (and should not be) illegal to seek asylum, yet that is the impression the American government is sending to the world. Canada must take a strong, principled stance against these actions - just as we have in the face of the tariffs, which you and your administration have handled with such grace and fortitude.

The United Nations has cautioned the United States of America that it is illegal to separate children from their families. This flagrant violation of children's rights puts the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement in an uncomfortable position: will we, a country with a tragic history of separating children from their family through the residential school system, which we as a country have openly acknowledged was a mistake, truly disallow asylum seekers who now enter from the United States out of fear that they too will lose their children?

I am proud to be Canadian. I am proud to live in a country where life is valued, respected, and celebrated. I am proud to live side by side with Canadians who have come to this country from all over the world - some by choice, some for asylum. I am proud to live in a country where human rights are paramount.

Please make me proud, again, to have a leader who will speak up about human rights violations happening, no matter who the perpetrator is, no matter how closely tied our countries are. It is because our countries are such close allies that we must take a stand and tell our American neighbours that this is not acceptable to Canada. We must not allow this travesty to continue without so much as a whisper of disagreement.

[ldubhawksfan]

Per the thread above, making posts intended to educate, does anyone have a good place with facts about the current laws and policy? I responded to a thread about the D bill that is proposed calling for R reps to sign this am where several people responded saying it was already a law during 44’s term, not to blame 45, how you need 60 votes to create a new law so this isn’t something voted in this administration. I got snippy about how we should still be outraged at how innocent children are being treated and the point should be to fix it now. But I don’t want to spout anything off incorrect so not to lose face. There was a law in place before, but it wasn’t inforced, correct? And it wasn’t applied to those turning themselves in asking for asylum, right?

I’m just so effing sick of people just fighting to fight. This is morally wrong, so fight to fix it, not to blame the other side.

[elle]

Jun 18, 2018 11:34:02 GMT -6 ldubhawksfan said:

Per the thread above, making posts intended to educate, does anyone have a good place with facts about the current laws and policy? I responded to a thread about the D bill that is proposed calling for R reps to sign this am where several people responded saying it was already a law during 44’s term, not to blame 45, how you need 60 votes to create a new law so this isn’t something voted in this administration. I got snippy about how we should still be outraged at how innocent children are being treated and the point should be to fix it now. But I don’t want to spout anything off incorrect so not to lose face. There was a law in place before, but it wasn’t inforced, correct? And it wasn’t applied to those turning themselves in asking for asylum, right?

I’m just so effing sick of people just fighting to fight. This is morally wrong, so fight to fix it, not to blame the other side.

My layperson's understanding: yes and no. If undocumented people who are apprehended at the border (or elsewhere) are known criminals, there are laws that exist so they are basically able to be put through the system and deported much quicker. Any children with them would be separated from them because the procedure and process for children is very different. Prior administrations (it's my understanding this started with Bush, as part of the post 9/11 increased border security) did this very rarely and only in the most extreme circumstances. Sessions has enacted a "zero tolerance" policy, meaning everyone coming across our borders, are criminals, hence the automatic separations of children from their parents/families, without even taking into consideration possible asylum seekers, who would not be breaking the law. So while these laws have been on the books, the way they're choosing to enforce them has changed, everyone undocumented counts as a criminal. Full stop.

Keep in mind most of the children in that 2014 photo were ones who crossed alone, so when people try to claim these extreme separations have been happening all along at the same rate, they're misrepresenting the situation. Completely.

[ldubhawksfan]

Jun 18, 2018 11:51:50 GMT -6 elle said:

Jun 18, 2018 11:34:02 GMT -6 ldubhawksfan said:

Per the thread above, making posts intended to educate, does anyone have a good place with facts about the current laws and policy? I responded to a thread about the D bill that is proposed calling for R reps to sign this am where several people responded saying it was already a law during 44’s term, not to blame 45, how you need 60 votes to create a new law so this isn’t something voted in this administration. I got snippy about how we should still be outraged at how innocent children are being treated and the point should be to fix it now. But I don’t want to spout anything off incorrect so not to lose face. There was a law in place before, but it wasn’t inforced, correct? And it wasn’t applied to those turning themselves in asking for asylum, right?

I’m just so effing sick of people just fighting to fight. This is morally wrong, so fight to fix it, not to blame the other side.

My layperson's understanding: yes and no. If undocumented people who are apprehended at the border (or elsewhere) are known criminals, the re e are laws that exist so they are basically able to be put through the system and deported much quicker. Any children with them would be separated from them because the procedure and process for children is very different. Prior administrations (it's my understanding this started with Bush, as part of the post 9/11 increased border security) did this very rarely and only in the most extreme circumstances. Sessions has enacted a "zero tolerance" policy, meaning everyone coming across our borders, are criminals, hence the automatic separations of children from their parents/families, without even taking into consideration possible asylum seekers, who would not be breaking the law. So while these laws have been on the books, the way they're choosing to enforce them has changed, everyone undocumented counts as a criminal. Full stop.

Keep in mind most of the children in that 2014 photo were ones who crossed alone, so when people try to claim these extreme separations have been happening all along at the same rate, they're misrepresenting the situation. Completely.

That is basically how I understood it too. And were the children eventually deported too, in years past? I think the problem with trying to explain this to some people is that they agree that anyone entering the us undocumented are “illegal aliens”. They just stop thinking past that point.


ETA:thank you!

[elle]

Jun 18, 2018 12:14:36 GMT -6 ldubhawksfan said:

Jun 18, 2018 11:51:50 GMT -6 elle said:

My layperson's understanding: yes and no. If undocumented people who are apprehended at the border (or elsewhere) are known criminals, the re e are laws that exist so they are basically able to be put through the system and deported much quicker. Any children with them would be separated from them because the procedure and process for children is very different. Prior administrations (it's my understanding this started with Bush, as part of the post 9/11 increased border security) did this very rarely and only in the most extreme circumstances. Sessions has enacted a "zero tolerance" policy, meaning everyone coming across our borders, are criminals, hence the automatic separations of children from their parents/families, without even taking into consideration possible asylum seekers, who would not be breaking the law. So while these laws have been on the books, the way they're choosing to enforce them has changed, everyone undocumented counts as a criminal. Full stop.

Keep in mind most of the children in that 2014 photo were ones who crossed alone, so when people try to claim these extreme separations have been happening all along at the same rate, they're misrepresenting the situation. Completely.

That is basically how I understood it too. And were the children eventually deported too, in years past? I think the problem with trying to explain this to some people is that they agree that anyone entering the us undocumented are “illegal aliens”. They just stop thinking past that point.


ETA:thank you!

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. What I do know is that children have a different process, they're entitled to have a (legal) advocate present for their hearings. In years past, they were held in these centers until they could be united with family members already in the States or put in foster care until their hearing(s). They weren't kept in these detention facilities indefinitely. Part of the issue with parents being deported without their kids is that they are able to ask the courts to deport them and then that happens pretty rapidly. Unfortunately their children have to go through a much more involved process and most parents don't realize that; they're asking to be deported in hopes of getting their kids back but instead they're deported without them. And so you end up with instances like the case RAICES tweeted about last week where the parents are skyping weekly with their 8 month old, from whom they were separated when he was just four months old. It's absolutely heartbreaking. Not to mention criminal.

[blurnette989]

ldubhawksfan

Also, we are applying this to asylum seekers. These are people who enter at legal points and turn themselves in and ask for asylum. I.e. they have broken no laws. We have never separated children in these situations. We are also making it harder for people to seek asylum in general.

Here is even a convenient Snopes on the whole Democrats law thing:

www.snopes.com/fact-check/was-law-separate-families-passed-1997/

[jkjacq]

Jun 18, 2018 12:14:36 GMT -6 ldubhawksfan said:

Jun 18, 2018 11:51:50 GMT -6 elle said:

My layperson's understanding: yes and no. If undocumented people who are apprehended at the border (or elsewhere) are known criminals, the re e are laws that exist so they are basically able to be put through the system and deported much quicker. Any children with them would be separated from them because the procedure and process for children is very different. Prior administrations (it's my understanding this started with Bush, as part of the post 9/11 increased border security) did this very rarely and only in the most extreme circumstances. Sessions has enacted a "zero tolerance" policy, meaning everyone coming across our borders, are criminals, hence the automatic separations of children from their parents/families, without even taking into consideration possible asylum seekers, who would not be breaking the law. So while these laws have been on the books, the way they're choosing to enforce them has changed, everyone undocumented counts as a criminal. Full stop.

Keep in mind most of the children in that 2014 photo were ones who crossed alone, so when people try to claim these extreme separations have been happening all along at the same rate, they're misrepresenting the situation. Completely.

That is basically how I understood it too. And were the children eventually deported too, in years past? I think the problem with trying to explain this to some people is that they agree that anyone entering the us undocumented are “illegal aliens”. They just stop thinking past that point.


ETA:thank you!

Any time I see someone use 'illegal aliens' my response is
First they are People not aliens
Second, an act is illegal, a substance is illegal, people are not illegal.
this type of language dehumanizes and groups this into a us vs them.

[Lakes]

If you are a lawyer looking to help this is from my immigration lawyer cousin. She said her advice still stands even if you don’t live in her state, don’t practice immigration law, and don’t speak Spanish. You can be useful even if you think you don’t have the right professional background!

“Yes! I'd locate your nearest Catholic Charities or other immigration legal services program. Many of them, such as my organization, provide training and mentoring for attorneys who would like to take on an immigration case, so it's a win-win!”

[ldubhawksfan]

Jun 18, 2018 12:31:47 GMT -6 jkjacq said:

Jun 18, 2018 12:14:36 GMT -6 ldubhawksfan said:

That is basically how I understood it too. And were the children eventually deported too, in years past? I think the problem with trying to explain this to some people is that they agree that anyone entering the us undocumented are “illegal aliens”. They just stop thinking past that point.


ETA:thank you!

Any time I see someone use 'illegal aliens' my response is
First they are People not aliens
Second, an act is illegal, a substance is illegal, people are not illegal.
this type of language dehumanizes and groups this into a us vs them.

Absolutely. I hate when that term is used and will use your response here on out. Unfortunately the dehumanizing has worked with so many and they use that term.

[elle]

Jun 18, 2018 12:39:52 GMT -6 @heartbot said:

Jun 18, 2018 12:25:17 GMT -6 elle said:

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. What I do know is that children have a different process, they're entitled to have a (legal) advocate present for their hearings. In years past, they were held in these centers until they could be united with family members already in the States or put in foster care until their hearing(s). They weren't kept in these detention facilities indefinitely. Part of the issue with parents being deported without their kids is that they are able to ask the courts to deport them and then that happens pretty rapidly. Unfortunately their children have to go through a much more involved process and most parents don't realize that; they're asking to be deported in hopes of getting their kids back but instead they're deported without them. And so you end up with instances like the case RAICES tweeted about last week where the parents are skyping weekly with their 8 month old, from whom they were separated when he was just four months old. It's absolutely heartbreaking. Not to mention criminal.

Immigrant actually don't have a right to an attorney and Trump cut legal aid to immigrant children just before the family separation policy was announced. 

There is an expedited deportation process that most of the adults being charged with misdemeanor unauthorized crossings are being subjected to, but based on the Flores settlement, children are not able to participate in that expedited process. All previous laws and settlements were geared toward pulling FAMILIES out of the usual criminal/expedited deportation proceedings. Families were supposed to, as much as possible, be pulled out of detention facilities and released into the public to await normal court proceedings. The Trump administration is twisting every loophole in existence to carry out family separations. 

Exactly. It's beyond disgusting. And anyone who defends these policies is complicit in the intentional destruction of generations of Latinx people and families. This type of harm is absolutely irreparable.

Eta: and thanks for the correction on the recent decision that denies undocumented children an advocate. I didn't realize that had changed. 

[shadesofgold]

There is a protest at the CBP in DC tomorrow, Tuesday 6/19. Organized by "women of faith" but hopefully a broad gathering. I'm hoping to make it. www.facebook.com/events/195891474397714/?ti=cl

"The speakers of the event will be women from diverse faith backgrounds notable rabbis and female pastors. Because The Administration has used the Bible to justify it's actions there is a need for strong rebuke of that by faith leaders. One certainly does not have to be a person a faith to attend nor are you require to endorse any messages. This is intentionally a faith led event though to emphasize moral and values argument that transcends partisan politics. That said title won't change given our audience but would love any supporters to feel welcome!!!"

[shadesofgold]

Jun 18, 2018 11:34:02 GMT -6 ldubhawksfan said:

Per the thread above, making posts intended to educate, does anyone have a good place with facts about the current laws and policy? I responded to a thread about the D bill that is proposed calling for R reps to sign this am where several people responded saying it was already a law during 44’s term, not to blame 45, how you need 60 votes to create a new law so this isn’t something voted in this administration. I got snippy about how we should still be outraged at how innocent children are being treated and the point should be to fix it now. But I don’t want to spout anything off incorrect so not to lose face. There was a law in place before, but it wasn’t inforced, correct? And it wasn’t applied to those turning themselves in asking for asylum, right?

I’m just so effing sick of people just fighting to fight. This is morally wrong, so fight to fix it, not to blame the other side.

This isn't a compendium, but this NY Times story on lawmaker responses includes two very helpful clarifying paragraphs IMO: nyti.ms/2JUhA4p

[shadesofgold]

Copy and pasted from someone who copy and pasted on FB:

Hi families! Actions to respond to the separation of families at the southern border — I wanted to share this here as well, so we can all do our part. Apologies for cross-posting.

If you want to help from afar:

— Join the "Families Belong Together Rally" on June 30th in Washington, D.C. Distributed actions will be planned across the country, and details coming soon.

— Purchase something off of the Sacred Heart Amazon Wish List or donate directly to Sacred Heart Church here This is a list of items that the church currently needs. Most pressing items are men's clothing and undergarments, which are listed at the top.
a.co/12kqVME
www.catholiccharitiesrgv.org/Donations.aspx

— Call your Senators - demand ask them to stop Homeland Security from separating children from their parents at the border
www.aclu.org/…/call-senators-stop-dhs-separating-ch…

— Sign and share this petition - This administration has shown signs that it will bend to public pressure. That tells us that if enough of us raise our voices, we can help end family separation.
go.peoplepower.org/sign/separating_families/

— Uplift the work of local and national organizations and continue the drumbeat online by using #FamiliesBelongTogether. Twitter handles to follow: @aclutx @txcivilrights @netargv @raicestexas

National Organizations doing great work on family separation: ACLU, The Florence Project, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), Women's Refugee Commission, National Domestic Workers Alliance, the Immigration Hub, Moms Rising

— Last but not least, if you have an upcoming primary election, register and VOTE!

If you're in Texas or are willing to travel to Texas:

1) Join the "Families Belong Together Rally" on June 28th in Brownsville, Texas - South Texas is ground zero for this administration's inhuman practice of family separation. Federal courts in South Texas have been prosecuting people en mass (up to 60 at a time), which has led to mass family separations. Join ACLU, Rio Grande Valley Equal Voice Network, NWDA, United We Dream and more at a rally in front of the Brownsville Federal Court demanding an end to family separation. We will have buses leaving from Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and Laredo - sign up sheets to come!

RSVP Here and Share on Facebook:
go.peoplepower.org/event/action_attend/14385
www.facebook.com/events/1834781589914906/?notif_t=plan_user_joined¬if_id=1529265252804023

2) Volunteer at Sacred Heart Church - Sacred Heart Church is working around the clock to help migrants who have been provisionally cleared and released by Border Protection with temporary papers a future court date (and an ankle monitor in tow). After being processed they are dropped off at the McAllen bus terminal where they wait before leaving to their next destination. The church picks up people from the bus terminal, brings them to their welcome center, and offers them their first warm meal, a bath, a change of clothes, hygiene products, a call home, and assistance with translating their paper work and travel itinerary. They need volunteers to help assist and prepare items for families.
• Volunteer: sacredheartchurch-mcallen.org/immigrant-assistance/…/

3) Join NETA to deliver food/water to asylum seekers stuck at ports of entry or donate to them here - People currently showing at ports of entry seeking asylum are being denied that right. When they arrive, officers tells them that the port of entry is at capacity and that they're not processing asylum applicants. This backlog has created long lines of people (+50) who have essentially been living on the bridge, patiently waiting their turn. They've been sleeping on the hard concrete floors and have been enduring the Texas heat that reaches up to 110 degrees. Some have been there anywhere from 5 to 17 days, and they arrive with nothing. Join NETA to take these individuals food, water, and other necessities.
• Volunteer: netargv.com/…/take-action-help-asylum-seekers-at-t…/
• Donate: donate.americanbar.org/probar

4) Be a Volunteer Attorney with ProBar or donate to them here - ProBar, the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project. This is a project of the American Bar Association, and they are currently supporting over 1,000 'unaccompanied children' in detention centers. They're also working hard to reconnect these children with their parents. They're looking for volunteer attorneys who could help with these children prepare for credible fear interviews (will take several days to a week), and in the longer term help with assistance for bond cases (some of this work could be remote, but would have to be periodically present). Use the google doc below to try to help them identify volunteer attorneys. If you're unable to volunteer, you could donate here.
• docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSdo8pbEeOLfcgk20…/viewform…
• Donate: donate.americanbar.org/probar

5) Help Texas Civil Rights Project take declarations from families or donate to them here- Everyday, TCRP is taking declarations from families and need help with intake efforts in Brownsville, Laredo, El Paso and Alpine. They're able to train people and organize legal intakes in these cities. They also need help in McAllen with interviewing families. Note -- Volunteers are required to speak Spanish, Mam, Q'eqchi' or K'iche' and have paralegal or legal assistance experience.
• Help take declarations: texascivilrightsproject.org/keepfamiliestogether-v…/
• Donate: texascivilrightsproject.org/families-belong-togeth…/

[athn64]

Jun 18, 2018 11:02:16 GMT -6 cakewench said:

It's OK guys. They're not cages. They're walls of chain link fence.

And ceilings of chain link too.

[cakewench]

I'm putting this behind a spoiler. ProPublica snuck in an audio recorder to a detention site and has published the audio. I am full on bawling 30 seconds in and I'm not sure how much more I can listen to.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}

[jkjacq]

Also Roslyn Carter has joined Michelle, Laura and Hillary in speaking out against this.

[August Blooms]

misskilljoy That is wonderfully written and I will be using it to send to my MP. Thank you.

[misskilljoy]

Jun 18, 2018 17:09:55 GMT -6 August Blooms said:

misskilljoy That is wonderfully written and I will be using it to send to my MP. Thank you.

Glad it was useful. I hope your MP is more helpful than mine was. His reply amounted to "I know, it's sad, eh?" (obviously in more diplomatic flourish than that)

[jkjacq]

Apparently ted Cruz of all people is introducing emergency legislation

[Deleted]

Jun 18, 2018 18:19:56 GMT -6 jkjacq said:

Apparently ted Cruz of all people is introducing emergency legislation

His Senate race is 11 point margin so it doesn't surprise me.

[August Blooms]

Jun 18, 2018 18:07:21 GMT -6 misskilljoy said:

Jun 18, 2018 17:09:55 GMT -6 August Blooms said:

misskilljoy That is wonderfully written and I will be using it to send to my MP. Thank you.

Glad it was useful. I hope your MP is more helpful than mine was. His reply amounted to "I know, it's sad, eh?" (obviously in more diplomatic flourish than that)

I feel like the trade negotiations are overshadowing our governments response. My MP is in our local moms Facebook group... I may publicly call her out if her response is less than satisfactory.

[morecoffeeplease]

Jun 18, 2018 18:19:56 GMT -6 jkjacq said:

Apparently ted Cruz of all people is introducing emergency legislation

I mean, he could also just sign on to Sen Feinstein's bill. Starting with a new bill screams, "hey, I'm doing something, leave me alone Beto"

[morecoffeeplease]

We have a march, June 30.  familiesbelongtogether.org

[tallb]

I'll be there at the DC march!

[sctiger]

I hate Republicans. They are not pro life and that is just a tool they use to rile up their base while they commit human rights violations. I hate them all. There is not one good one in the bunch. It scares me to think of the damage their mindset us doing to our country.

[dc2london]

Jun 18, 2018 9:15:21 GMT -6 Minerva said:

This was posted in one of the local DC activism groups as the backbone of a plan to address family separation. It’s a good start and I’m guessing many of us are already doing these things. Just a note - 48 Democrats have now signed onto DiFi’s Keep Families Together act. Manchin is the only D holdout. Flake, Corker, Collins, Murakowski, and McCain are all good senators to target right now.
............
Here's the current proposed plan. Let's call it "Operation Keep Families Together":

****PHASE ONE: Postcard Avalanche
Basically, we hit the DOJ (Sessions), DHS, and ICE with postcards simply worded to deliver our condemnation of this zero tolerance policy. This activity can be taken outside our group to anyone and everyone who wants to participate.

****PHASE TWO: Education & Advocacy
We flood Facebook and Twitter with information intended to educate ourselves and our friends and neighbors on the intricacies of this situation, which extends to current legislation, the obstacles to entering the country legally, the cultural profiles of migrants, etc. The objective is to dispel myths that feed into our collective complacency and confusion so we can become better advocates for migrants' rights and sway public opinion into a more active direction.

****PHASE THREE: Fundraising
Our group picks one (or more) non-profits who are on the front lines trying to reunite families and help asylum seekers and we put our money where our mouths are. This could include RAICES, K.I.N.D, the ACLU, etc.

****THROUGHOUT: Call our MoC
We light up the phones. This doesn't require a phase. We tell our senators to back Sen. Dianne Feinstein's bill (which currently has 32 senators backing it). We tell our representatives that they must wield whatever power they have to amend the GOP bill to remove its provision for funding a border wall. We urge everyone to investigate and shut down ICE and border patrol abuses. We thank those who have already worked to accomplish all of the above.

This is what we've got for now, but we won't launch without you. Last winter, we used our collective powers for good to save two Baltimore schools from a deep freeze - I think we can do this, too.

So the question is: are you in? If yes, let us know in the comments and share your thoughts on how we can make the biggest impact.

Thanks, in advance, for caring. Together, we can kill this hideous American tradition of tearing apart families of color.

#keepfamiliestogether

Try Graham too, I think he's moveable on this