Refugees who come to this country seeking a safe home for their families won’t
find it in South Carolina. At least, not if South Carolina lawmakers have
their way.
They’re trying to pass S. 997--a bill that, if passed, would immediately
turn refugees into suspected criminals.
It would require law enforcement to investigate refugees--even after they’re
vetted by FBI, the National Counterterrorism Center, the Department of
Homeland Security, the State Department, and the U.N.
This is not about danger or national security. This is about irrational fear
and xenophobia.
Refugees need safety and protection in South Carolina--not more persecution.
Add your name now to oppose S. 997.
Some find it appealing to score political points by talking tough about
refugees. But let’s talk about the individuals this bill hurts. Refugees are
people fleeing terrorism to protect their families. They are people who have
witnessed or experienced incredible violence, escaped brutal dictatorships,
or who have been persecuted because of their faith or political beliefs.
South Carolina’s bill targets people who have survived dangerous journeys to
bring their children to safety. They’ve left everything and everyone they
have ever known behind hoping to find a safe haven. Are we really going to
crack down on families fleeing violence?
During her Republican Address to the Nation after President Obama’s State of
the Union, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley reminded us that "During
anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest
voices. We must resist that temptation."
Every single refugee who comes here gets thoroughly vetted by multiple
agencies to the extent that families can spend between 18 months and three
years waiting to be cleared before they ever set foot in the United States.
Yet South Carolina wants special rules for these national security measures.
Should local South Carolina police be following refugees to the grocery
store instead of doing their jobs?
This bill could open a Pandora’s box of increased law enforcement targeting
refugees. It will almost certainly invite religious, racial, and ethnic
profiling. We all know the devastating consequences this sort of profiling
has on individuals, families, and communities.
We should not persecute refugees because ignorant lawmakers are operating on
assumptions. Our country is better than that.
Speak up now to make sure Governor Haley is true to her words and puts a
stop to fearmongering lawmakers’ attempts to persecute refugees.
Add your name now.
https://action.aclu.org/secure/refugees-not-criminals?emsrc=Nat_Appeal_AutologinEnabled&emissue=immigrantrights&emtype=petition&ms=eml_160415_immigrantrights_SCrefugees&__af=query_string_encrypted
Thanks for taking action,
Anthony for the ACLU Action team
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA
