Hi Everyone,
Tomorrow there will be an important meeting at the White House on the refugee program. It is expected that some in the Trump Admin will push to reduce the refugee cap to somewhere between 0 and 15k. Last year it was at 30k, which is the lowest it has been since the program was started.
Please contact your Senators and Representative and ask them to support the refugee program. Even if there is bad news from tomorrow's meeting, it is still possible for Congress to step up their efforts to compel the Trump Admin to stop further reducing admissions of refugees.
NBC News published data on only two Iraqi US military interpreters being admitted as refugees in fiscal year 2018. The data for the story that USCIS shared with Congress was because of our effort on behalf of the Kamran family:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/only-2-iraqi-translators-who-worked-u-s-troops-got-n1035661
USCIS's response in Nov. 2018 to Congress's first letter about the Kamran family was the source of the data on Iraqi interpreters. Note that the NBC story should clarify that this data pertains to the Direct Access Program rather than the SIV program, but it doesn't explain the difference. So if you share the NBC story, it would be good to include the additional context that this refers to the Direct Access Program for Iraqis, which replaced the Special Immigrant Visa program.
Recently, 27 military leaders sent the Trump Admin on the importance of the refugee program. https://www.rescue.org/press-release/irc-responds-us-military-leaders-letter-president-us-refugee-resettlement-program
Below is some information that you can share with your Representative and Senators to encourage them to support the refugee program and provide more accountability to USCIS on deciding refugee cases. I recommend trying to connect with your Senator or Representative's immigration policy adviser by calling their DC office and saying that you would like to share some information with the person who advises the member on immigration policy. Many policy advisers in the DC office will have regular contact with the member, whereas district staff hardly ever meet the member and can take 2 months to even share information with the DC office.
Members should be asked to (1) speak out now to prevent/protest further cuts to the refugee cap; and (2) to support efforts to provide more Congressional oversight to address, for example, the 99+% drop in admissions and over 90% denial rates of Iraqi interpreters and the increasing problems with delays and denials of Special Immigrant Visa cases for Afghans. At the heart of the increasing problems with the refugee program is USCIS's abuse of discretion and ability to make life and death decisions with zero accountability and zero oversight. Congress has tolerated having a back seat here for too long. Congress acted decisively a couple of weeks ago on USCIS's attempt to deport sick children getting life-saving medical care in the US. Now it is time for Congress to act decisively on behalf of refugees.
We are currently trying to get the House Armed Services Committee, Homeland Security Committee, and/or House Oversight Committee to have a hearing on the near-shut down in admissions of Iraqi interpreters and increased delays and denials of Afghan interpreters applying for Special Immigrant Visas. Your Representative can support this, especially if he or she is on one of the committees.
For Senators, we are working with several offices to send a bipartisan letter asking for a briefing on the policy changes that have led to the catastrophic decrease in admissions of Iraqi interpreters and increases in delays and denials of Afghan interpreters. The letter will also ask why the Kamran family's case was denied. Your Senators can join this letter. Follow this link below to find contact information for your Senators and Representative.
https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials/
Here is the NBC News story on the Kamran family's case from a few months ago, in case that is helpful as well:
Thank you for your support for the Kamran family and other like them. Please email me (save.aysha@gmail.com) if you would like more information on how to get involved.
Best,
Kristy Perano