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How To Protest Trump's Latest Attempt To Bar Migrants Seeking Asylum In The US
On Wednesday, a federal judge made a decision that could profoundly affect migrants' ability to come to the United States as asylum seekers. The judge ruled against temporarily blocking the Trump administration's new rule, which would bar most Central American migrants from seeking asylum in the United States. Following the decision, you might want to know how to protest Trump's asylum rule — and what steps you can take to help those affected by it.
As CBS explained, the Trump administration's new asylum rule mandates that migrants who cross into "safe" countries before they reach the United States apply for asylum there instead of at the U.S.-Mexico border. The outlet added that the rule says that only migrants who prove that they were denied asylum in another country or that they were victims of "severe" human trafficking can directly apply for asylum in the United States.
As NPR noted, several immigrant advocacy organizations filed lawsuits — one in Washington, D.C. and another in California — to stop this rule from taking effect. In Wednesday's decision, which came out of the Federal District Court in Washington, Judge Timothy J. Kelly refused to issue a restraining order against the rule while the lawsuit is decided, the Washington Post indicated. Therefore, the rule will go into effect while the lawsuits move through the court system.
As NPR described, implementing the rule could very much hamper migrants' ability to apply for asylum in the United States, limiting their options when seeking refuge from unsafe conditions. If you want to take a stand against these new asylum rules, the list below will help you get started.
Support RAICES & The CAIR Coalition
These two organizations are spearheading the D.C.-based lawsuit over the new asylum rule. The Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition advocates for immigrants' rights in the D.C. area, while Texas-based RAICES works to provide legals services to immigrant families.
As the lawsuit continues to unfold in court, you can support these groups via donations. The link to each organization's donation page is below:
Back The ACLU
The American Civil Liberties Union is leading the California-based lawsuit over Trump's new asylum rule on behalf of four advocacy organizations, Politico reported. The California case is still unfolding in court.
According to Politico, the ACLU has characterized the asylum rule as "the Trump administration’s most extreme run at an asylum ban yet." You can support the ACLU's work to stop the asylum rule by donating to the organization here.
Join A Protest Today
As KGO-TV San Francisco reported, a group of people in San Francisco came together outside of the city's federal courthouse on Wednesday to take a stand against Trump's asylum rule. It's certainly possible that additional protests will occur throughout the day as a hearing on the California lawsuit is being held, so keep an eye on social media and your local news if you would like to join one.
Moreover, it's also a possibility that additional protests outside of California will take place in the coming days, so be sure to similarly use social media and local news to find out about any demonstrations in your area.
Contact The Department of Justice & The Department of Homeland Security
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) jointly issued the new asylum rule on July 15. Therefore, you should contact both agencies if you wish to explain why the asylum rule is problematic — and to ask them to repeal it. The links below will take you to each agency's contact information page:
Spread The Word
In addition to taking direct action yourself, it's also imperative to encourage others to take steps to protest Trump's asylum rule. Consider telling your friends and family (in-person and virtually) about the rule if they don't already know about it — and fill them in on the implications of Wednesday's decision. Considering how many more migrants the rule could stand to affect if it remains in place, there's a great sense of urgency.
