Dear Friends,
The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs estimates that 1 in 7 Salvadorans in New York City is here on Temporary Protected Status. Please join the New York State Interfaith Coalition for Immigration Reform, The Micah Institute, and Church World Service TODAY (January 4th, 2018) to urge our members of Congress to support extending the TPS designation for El Salvador (See below).
From Church World Service:
Right now, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering whether or not to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Salvadorans in the United States, which is due for a decision by DHS before Monday, January 8th. Given the recent TPS terminations for Sudan, Nicaragua, and Haiti, we are deeply concerned that DHS will end El Salvador’s TPS designation altogether. TPS is a program designed to protect people from being returned to harm – precisely the conditions El Salvador faces today, including gang conscription, sexual violence, and human trafficking. As a nation, we promised to protect nearly 200,000 Salvadoran neighbors by allowing them to remain in the United States.
On Thursday, January 4th, join our national call-in day to ensure our elected leaders hear from their constituents, urging them to do everything they can to uphold this promise. Click here for our Interfaith Toolkit: Top 5 Ways to Take Action in the New Year.
Here are the top 5 ways you can help!
(1) Call Your Members of Congress on Thursday, January 4th and urge them to do everything in their power to see the TPS designation for El Salvador extended for at least another 18 months. You will receive a phone call and be patched through to your 2 Senators and 1 Representative.
Here’s an example of what to say: “I’m your constituent from [CITY/TOWN], and I support Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador, and I am calling to ask you to take a stand regarding the upcoming decision about TPS for El Salvador. I urge you to do everything in your power to see that the administration extends it for at least another 18 months, and to issue statements and make floor remarks supporting Salvadoran TPS holders. I call on you to demonstrate bold leadership and support a permanent, legislative solution that protects all TPS holders from being separated from their families. My community welcomes immigrants, and I urge you to reflect the best of our American values of compassion and welcome.”
(2) Amplify on Social Media and Join the Prayer Chain: Record a video or take a picture 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.
(3) Read, share, and reflect on the three-part Epiphany devotions which link Epiphany scriptures with stories of Salvadoran, Honduran, and Haitian populations. Click here for Epiphany resources.
(4) Write for Media: Elevate the public call by publishing a letter to the editor calling for an 18-month extension for El Salvador’s TPS designation, and calling on Congress to pass a permanent solution for TPS holders. Click here for sample op-eds, LTEs, and other resources on how to pitch and place media pieces.
(5) Write & share press releases urging an 18-month TPS extension for El Salvador. For a template press release, please click here. For more information on our faithful call to stand with TPS holders, please visit:
interfaithimmigration.org/TPS.
Please spread the word, and thank you for all your work and support!
Supporting Church World Service’ advocacy work is more important than ever. Go to https://greateras1.org/donate/support-our-advocacy-efforts/ to donate.
Best wishes,
The Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer
Executive Director
The Interfaith Center of New York
