(ATLANTA, GA – 1/28/16) Over the past week, the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations has been working alongside other civil rights groups to expose, condemn and rebut the anti-Muslim bigotry coming from the Trump Administration.
CAIR-GA has rebutted Islamophobia during interviews with CNN and WABE, speeches at the People’s Inauguration and the Atlanta March for Social Justice & Women, and a press conference with a dozen civil rights and immigrant groups, where they spoke out against President Trump’s executive orders. Here’s what you need to know about the order targeting immigrants, refugees, and six Muslim nations:
1) If you ARE an American citizen, nothing has changed for you. Your right to travel in and out of the country remains unaffected. However, your relatives overseas may face difficulty traveling to the United States to visit you if they are citizens of one of the targeted Muslim nations.
2) If you are NOT an American citizen and if you ARE from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen, you will NOT be able to enter the U.S. for at least 90 days if the order stands. This applies even if you are a green card holder (lawful permanent resident).
If you are ALREADY living in the United States, do not leave our country. You should consult with an immigration attorney prior to any international travel. Even if you have a green card, you may NOT be able to return to America if you leave.
3) The refugee program is being halted immediately, for at least 120 days. This will mean that anyone, anywhere in the process, will not move forward. The effort to resettle Syrian refugees in the U.S. is being halted indefinitely
What you should do to protect yourself:
1) Again: if you are non-citizen, even a green card holder (lawful permanent resident), from one of the seven countries named above, and you are inside the U.S., please plan to delay all international travel for at least 90 days. If you leave, you may not be able to come back. Best to stay here for now.
2) If you are from one of the seven countries named above, if you are NOT an American citizen, and if you are already outside of the U.S., you may face issues at the airport if you try to return. Please keep looking for updates in the coming days to assess your travel options.
3) Whether you are a citizen or not, do not permit federal law enforcement to enter your home or speak to you without an attorney present.
What you can do to push back against this iA:
1) Call your members of Congress and the U.S. Senate at 202.224.3121 to ask them to speak out against anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant bigotry and oppose these Executive Orders.
2) Share this email with your friends and family so that they understand what is happening.
3) As always, let us know if you face anti-Muslim discrimination at the airport, your place of work or anywhere else.
4) Finally, please remember that CAIR Georgia will host its annual fundraising banquet on Feb. 18, 2017, insha Allah. We hope to raise enough funds to hire a team dedicated to serving, protecting and advocating for Georgia Muslims 24/7, including a:
- Civil Rights Attorney
- Paralegal/Assistant to the Executive Director
- Government Outreach Director
- Fundraiser
Here’s how you can help us accomplish those goals, insha Allah:
- Buy a Ticket: event tickets cost $50 per adult, which also covers a three-course halal meal. Click here to purchase your seat. Our special guest speakers will, God willing, include activist Linda Sarsour, civil rights attorney Hassan Shibly, and Nihad Awad, founder and executive director of CAIR National.
- Sponsor a Table: your mosque or organization can publicly sponsor a table for $500.Click here to sponsor a table.
- Apply for a Position: we are now accepting resumes in the hope of officially filling positions effective March 1st, 2017, insha Allah. Email your resume to [email protected]