As Iranian writer Dina Nayeri said, “It is the obligation of every person born in a safer room to open the door when someone in danger knocks.”
This week, President Joe Biden took bold action to provide protections and opportunities for many of our undocumented neighbors.
His new executive action will protect about 500,000 undocumented people who are married to American citizens from deportation, providing much needed security to mixed-status families across the country. It will also make it easier for DACA recipients to receive work authorizations, helping begin careers after college.
This news is cause for celebration and a testament to the persistent advocacy of impacted communities. It means millions of children can sleep easier knowing their parent won’t be taken away from them. And it means many young adults brought to the U.S. as children can work and pursue their dreams.
Still, much more must be done to live up to our values on migration justice.
This positive step remains vulnerable to legal challenges and reversal by a future administration. Our lawmakers need to step up and enact pathways to citizenship for the millions of undocumented people contributing to the vitality of our country each and every day.
Biden must do more too, starting by rescinding his deeply harmful executive order imposing major barriers on the rights of vulnerable people seeking asylum.
Forced displacement is surging around the globe. As the climate crisis deepens, more and more people are uprooted from their homes. We have a moral responsibility to provide refuge to those in need and to help address the roots of these crises, particularly given our role sowing global instability and conflict as well as a major carbon emitter.
As we reflect on Immigrant Heritage Month and World Refugee Day this week, let’s work to advance humane, compassionate migration policies that protect the safety and dignity of all immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.
Elsewhere
Pentagon spending spikes
The House just passed a huge Pentagon spending bill, nearly 900 billion dollars, with harmful provisions for almost all our peace and justice concerns. Thankfully, we expect the legislation to be substantially revised as the Senate considers its own bill.
There is a growing wave of people concerned about wasteful Pentagon spending. Comedian Jon Stewart pointed out how we could dramatically cut child poverty for a fraction of what we’ve spent on a fighter jet that doesn’t work. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02) also posted a video featuring FCNL partners demanding the Pentagon be held accountable and pass an audit.
All of this money could be spent on building for peace rather than preparing for war.
Illegal Weapons Transfers to Israel
U.N. experts warned that countries must end weapons transfers to Israel or risk being responsible for “serious violations” of international law, “possibly including genocide.” This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims the U.S. is already withholding weapons, which the Biden administration denies.
The U.S. should stop supplying weapons to Israel and use our leverage to push for a permanent ceasefire and humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza.
What’s new from FCNL
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FCNL’s José Santos Moreno reflects on the four years since George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis and the work that Congress needs to do to address police violence.
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FCNL’s Rachel Overstreet lays out what is next for the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act (H.R. 7227), which passed out of House Committee on June 13. The legislation shows strong bipartisan commitment to addressing the harms of the Indian Boarding School era.
Invite: Building safer communities
While mass shootings make headlines, community violence intervention and violence interrupter programs often do not. Join us for a virtual panel on Wednesday, June 26 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET to hear from two organizers working to empower their communities and build safer futures.
