Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act

ANTI-IMMIGRANT RHETORIC: Bigoted and dehumanizing anti-immigrant rhetoric has become increasingly rampant in Congress and across American political discourse. Urged President Biden and Congressional leadership to forcefully denounce dangerous anti-immigrant language, and to urge other civic leaders around the country to follow suit. CRISIS IN HAITI: Amidst the worsening crisis in Haiti, urged the Administration to redesignate and extend TPS for Haitians, pause all deportations to Haiti, stop all plans to detain Haitian migrants interdicted at sea at Guantanamo Bay, and to expand key lawful migration, stop all plans to detain Haitian migrants interdicted at sea at Guantanamo Bay, and to expand key lawful migration pathways. AID FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES: Urged Administration and Congress to reinstate funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the principal aid provider for millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the surrounding region. The United States has been UNRWA's largest bilateral donor for over six decades and without its vital support, the agency cannot effectively carry out its role as the largest humanitarian relief agency in Gaza. The timing is crucial as nearly two million displaced Palestinians in Gaza are relying on UNRWAs services to survive. FY25 IMMIGRATION PRIORITIES: Called on Congress to increase appropriations funding for the processing and care of asylum seekers, to increase refugee protections and to enhance our international disaster assistance. The U.S. must address the deteriorating worldwide situation through multiple avenues ensuring the safety and dignity of asylum seekers and refugees. It starts with humanitarian assistance overseas to address root causes and enable people to stay in their home countries. It includes speeding up the review process and hiring more asylum officers. And it ends with addressing the backlog of employment authorization and care for the vulnerable to get these men, women and families on their feet working toward their American dreams. NAC called on Congress and President Biden to expand our welcome and fund a more humane reception system. PROTECTION FOR LONG TERM UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS: Urged the President to take all action within his power to protect longtime undocumented residents of American communities from needless removals, especially the spouses of U.S. citizens, DACA recipients, and others with close ties to the U.S. OPPOSITION TO DEPORTATIONS WITHOUT WAIVERS FOR NEW GROUNDS: Expressed opposition to H.R. 7909, which creates new bases to deport immigrants for domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, stalking, and sexual offenses without waivers for the new grounds. This legislation will harm immigrant survivors by increasing the likelihood that criminalized survivors will be swept into the expanded scope of the grounds of inadmissibility or deportability, and creating a chilling effect where victims may decline to seek assistance from law enforcement or services if they fear that it will result in a family member being barred from legal status. ICE ENHANCE STATELESS PROTECTIONS: Letter to Dept of Homeland Security noting that while U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has been proactive on stateless protection, ICE has not. Reminded DHS that without ICE's engagement, their commitment to stateless people cannot be fulfilled. Urged ICE to implement the DHS-wide commitment to protect stateless individuals, including by: 1.Adopting the international definition of statelessness, as USCIS has already done: a person who is not considered as a national by any State under the operation of its law. 2.Train relevant ICE officers to recognize indicators of statelessness. 3.Ensure that statelessness is considered as a positive factor in discretionary consideration in situations where ICE officials have jurisdiction. 4. Address extended detention and onerous orders of supervision. 5. Address inadmissibility grounds under INA 212(a)(6)(A)(i). 6. Collect data on stateless individuals. ASYLUM SEEKER WORK AUTH ACT (H.R. 1325) ADVOCACY: Issued multiple action alerts to network asking them to send emails to their House members urging them to co-sponsor and pass the legislation. Also blasted Hill offices twice urging them to attend an educational webinar on H.R. 1325. BREAKING THE LINK BETWEEN HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND FORCED MIGRATION: Promoted and urged network to promote to elected officials NAC's June 6 educational briefing on the link between human trafficking and forced migration. (sent multiple requests for action) Also urged network to advocate for three legislative solutions with their elected officials: oFrederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act (H.R. 5856) - it includes a focus on the root causes of forced migration so that migrants can avoid making the difficult journey to the US where they find themselves vulnerable to trafficking oImmigration Court Efficiency and Childrens Court Act (H.R. 6145 / S. 3178 )- works to better protect unaccompanied migrant children in the immigration court system. Enables the immigration court to serve as a screening checkpoint for children who are at risk of human trafficking oAsylum Seeker Work Authorization Act (H.R. 1325) - reduces the wait time for work permits for those seeking asylum in the U.S. Access to legal work makes asylum seeker less vulnerable to trafficking IMMIGRANT SURVIVOR FOCUSED COMMENT RE: ASYLUM BANS: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed an asylum rule that will harm victims and survivors fleeing gender-based violence and seeking asylum in the U.S. The sign-on comment on the proposed rule highlighted the impact on victims and survivors. POSITIVE IMMIGRATION ACTION FOR CAREGIVERS: Letter to President Biden from justice minded organizations to urge his administration to take swift action to protect hard-working immigrant care workers, family caregivers, and American families. Our organizations together represent and advocate for millions of child care workers, direct care workers, early childhood educators, people with disabilities, older Americans, family caregivers, disabled unpaid and paid caregivers, parents, and sandwich generations. Together, we work to build robust 21st century care systems in our country for all of us to thrive with quality care and services and have respect and dignity. IMMIGRATION EXECUTIVE ORDER: Sign-on letter asking the Biden Administration to rescind the recent "Securing the Border" Proclamation/Interim Final Rule and instead support asylum and border policies that live up to our values and affirm the value and dignity of all. NAC ENDORSED KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER ACT (Legislation that was re-introduced by U.S. Senator Butler). NAC endorsed the legislation as a result of a June 6 constituent meeting. Developed in consultation with child welfare experts, the Keep Families Together Act mandates the prioritization of family unity in immigration enforcement and provides guidelines to ensure that families are kept together throughout the legal process. It also explicitly prohibits the separation of children from their parents at the U.S. border, except in extraordinary circumstances. With guidance from the ACLU, the bill text is slightly updated from the 116th Congress to reflect the Ms. L v. ICE settlement agreement. HELD JUNE 5/6 ADVOCAY DAYS IN DC: Trained and mobilized 35 sisters from across the country to advocate to break the link between human trafficking and forced migration - attended educational briefing and then made lobby visits to their elected officials, advocating for the three pieces of legislation mentioned previously (H.R. 5856; H.R. 6145 / S. 3178; and H.R. 1325).