10/20/15 Update: Victory — this harmful bill did not receive enough support to move on in the Senate! Thank you for taking action on behalf of survivors of violence.
Imagine a woman in her home, being beaten by her husband, who runs to grab her cell phone and call for help. She’s about to dial 911, but she realizes that if she does, she could be deported. Her children, crying in the next room, would not have a mother in this country. They would end up in the hands of her abusive spouse. She puts the phone down, knowing that in America she can never ask for help. Her abuser knows that, too, and uses it to keep her afraid and in his control.
This is the situation facing countless immigrant women across America, and measures like those contained in the Stop Sanctuary Cities Act would only make it worse.
Please urge your Senators to oppose it today! We don’t have much time. The Senate votes Tuesday on this misguided bill from Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana.
The bill would deny funding to cities that are trying to disentangle the mandate of local policing from the mandate of federal immigration enforcement.
As Congress has known since the early days of the Violence Against Women Act, when victims don’t report abuse, not only are they in danger of escalating violence, but their children are psychologically harmed and their abusers are free to harm others. If a victim is afraid to be deported because local cops are enforcers of immigration law, she is not going to get protection, and we are all less safe.
Let’s work together to create an America where everyone, regardless of immigration status, can rely on law enforcement for protection, an America where law enforcement can rely on victims to serve as key witnesses in the apprehension of the real criminals who threaten all of our safety.
