To: The United States House of Representatives
Congress: Act to end the Muslim Ban now!
The latest temporary Supreme Court decision shows we can't only rely on courts to fight back against discriminatory policies. It's time to step up. Unwaveringly condemn Trump's Muslim Ban and demand a vote on the SOLVE Act –– which immediately nullifies the Muslim Ban executive order and ensures our tax-paid federal funds won't be used in implementing this unnecessary and discriminatory policy.
Why is this important?
Donald Trump just announced that if your grandparents are from Iran, they are now banned from this country.
I was nine years old when I finally met my grandparents. After years of only seeing them in old photos and hearing about them in my dad's stories about growing up in Iran, they finally were able to make the trip to America and meet their grandchildren for the first time.
As of last night, a new version of Trump's Muslim ban will go back into effect. The Supreme Court ordered that Trump's travel ban could go forward - but could not apply to people who have a "bona fide relationship" with an American. In response, Trump has released a directive that people from six majority-Muslim nations (Iran, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, and Syria) would have to prove their "bona fide relationship" in order to apply for a visa.
Trump's directive establishes the categories of relationships that are allowed in, and those who are not. Under this completely arbitrary rule, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, fiancees and other extended family members are not serious enough relationships to enter the U.S., according to Trump's new ban.
That means that the grandparents of Americans who descend from “banned” countries are now banned from visiting their grandchildren in the U.S. It means that an Iranian American who is getting married can’t invite their aunts and uncles to his wedding. It means that a Somali American who just had a child can’t invite her grandparents to visit their new grandchild.
It’s time for our elected representatives in Congress to step up. The Supreme Court’s decision and the Trump Administration’s actions make clear: we can’t rely on the courts alone to protect our country from Donald Trump’s ban.
Thankfully, there is a solution: Congress can pass the SOLVE Act (H.R.1503), legislation that would immediately nullify Trump’s ban and block any taxpayer dollars from funding it. If we raise the pressure for Congress to act, we can convince our allies to force votes on the SOLVE Act and hold accountable those who refuse to stand up to Donald Trump’s ban.
Sign the petition today to add your voice to urge lawmakers to condemn Trump’s new ban and demand a vote on the SOLVE Act.