PRM housing crisis support in 2009Doubled R&P grant in 2010, continued increasesIraqi refugees & SIV programFloor FundingRefugee provisions in immigration reformStopped cuts to ORR & MRA for 3 years in a rowUnaccompanied childrenReprogrammed fundsTrafficking Victims Protection ActAnti-refugee sentimentThree pro-refugee bills

We’ve been through a lot together!

Building a MovementCelebrate winsDeepen understanding

Long term goalsShort term goalsStrategies Tactics

Build sustainable teamsGrow political power

Community education, increasing numbersContinual team actions, events, meetingsBuilding relationships w/ policy makersCivic engagement

Congressional UpdateCongress is not active now: upcoming electionsHouse passed negative legislation that would:

Increase enforcement but inadequately fund ORRRollback anti-trafficking protections for childrenBan any renewal or expansion of DACA (Deferred Action for

Childhood Arrivals)Also introduced legislation that would negatively impact the

asylum systemORR has replenished the $94 million reprogrammed from refugee services for the increase in unaccompanied immigrant children

Congress passed a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) until December 11, need to pass a longer-term funding bill for FY15. ORR needs at least $2.8 billion to meet the needs of all populations in their care and prevent any future cuts

Trafficking Victims Protection ActTo keep children from being returned back into the hands of

traffickers and gangs Passed both chambers of Congress by unanimous consent Signed into law by President Bush.

Changes would mean children would not have a meaningful opportunity to: have their story heard, apply for asylum, or be cared for by child welfare personnel

Children would be deported to life-threatening situations.

More than 300 faith-based organizations and 4,000 people of faith have urged Congress and the Administration to uphold these protections, supported by 70% of the public.

Refugee LegislationStrengthening Refugee Resettlement Act, H.R. 651Rep. Ellison (D-MN-5)

Admit refugees as LPRsExpand MG, R&P, case managementDomestic resettlement emergency fund

Refugee Protection Act, S. 645 and H.R. 1375Sen. Leahy (D-VT) and Rep. Lofgren (D-CA-14)

Eliminate one-year filing deadlineProtect refugee familiesAuthority to designate groups for resettlement (“Lautenberg”)

Domestic Refugee Resettlement Reform & Modernization ActRep. Peters (D-MI-14), Rep. Stivers (R-OH-15) H.R. 1784, Sen. Stabenow (D-MI), Sen. Collins (R-ME) S. 883

Elevates ORR within the HHS bureaucracy Allows formula state funding to include projected arrivalsHelps with data collection & assistance to secondary migrants

Assess where each of your policy makers areDo they know who refugees are? Have they met a refugee?What are their misperceptions?

Determine how to best engage each policy makerWho are the best messengers?What are the best messages?Start with an “easy ask” – meeting a refugee, attending

an event, speaking at a ceremonyBe ready for a “hard ask” – cosponsoring a bill,

defending against anti-refugee sentiment, fundingServe as a resource for staffAttend community eventsBuild a mutual relationship with staff and member

Gradually Build Champions

Photo Op!

What’s more patriotic than a citizenship

ceremony, or a celebration of refugees

in your community?

Invite policy makers to: • Conduct citizenship oath• Teach a civics or ESL class• Take a photo w/refugees• Introduce refugees• Attend or speak at World Refugee Day

“SPEECH!”Empower policymakers to commit to refugees

Every Voice HeardEvents show community support

• Share photos with policy makers and encourage them to attend next time!• Invite staffers and community partners• Make an event announcement to:

• Call a policymaker – right now! all together! • Sign up for refugee advocacy alerts• Write or sign letters in support of refugees

or thanking a policy maker• Start or grow an advocacy team!

Meet with your Reps & Senators Critical to educating them about the vital role that

refugees play in your communities

Ideal group for such a meeting: Refugee who can share a powerful story Director of an agency or a case manager who knows the ins

and outs of program work Faith leader Business leader Volunteer or respected community member

Who you are. Why you care. What you want.

Compelling. Concrete. Concise.  

Civic EngagementKey component of integrationPart of our mission to build welcoming communities

Non-profit civic engagement work is non-partisan, and does not endorse any candidate or political party

Voter registration, Ride coordination, Get Out the Vote calling & door knocking with partners

Lifting up political power of refugees for change

www.rcusa.org/WRD2014

Core Principles of Organizing

What are we changing?

How does our work for welcoming communities and refugee and immigrant rights win or create concrete improvements in people’s lives?

What are we building?

How are we creating and sustaining teams of people who can take action together for change?

Team: What it is...

A group of people that is connected by…..

Shared Passion Love of People Vision for ChangeCommitment to work together

to bring that change about

Step 1: Internal Assessment

What am I passionate about? Why? What in my life journey has brought about this passion?

What policy changes (national and local) would you and your community like to see?

How could I see my community working to be part of bringing that change about?

What does being an “advocate” mean to you?

Step 2: One on One Relationship Building

Face to faceIntentional conversation, not an

interviewListening for passion, vision, storiesWork together to identify othersFind a Partner!

Who is one person who might most share your vision and help you build / energize a Team?

Step 3: Grow your Team!

Domino Effect of 1 on 1 meetings!

Who else might care / be interested? Ask: can you now reach out to 3-5

more people? Set a timeline for a Team meeting

Step 4: Bring the team together

Goal: solid group of 8-10 peopleCreate a common vision: One year from now, what are

our hopes and expectations? Create an action plan: How do we build toward that?Who are natural allies who can be energized into being

advocates?Decide on next steps

Sample Advocacy Calendar

Oct – Dec: ORR funding letters, meetings; civic engagement stories, events

Jan – May: Team building, community education, expanding base

June: World Refugee Day events, meetings

July – Sept: Meetings with members of congress, letters, emails, calls

ResourcesToolkits for congressional visits:

Refugee Council USA: rcusa.org/wrd2014Interfaith Immigration Coalition:

www.interfaithimmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/ 2013/01/IIC_NEIGHBOR_to_NEIGHBOR_Toolkit_01.pdf

Information on Senators, Representatives, Committees: www.senate.gov and www.house.gov

We send updates on legislation as part of the Monday bulletin. Sign up for advocacy alerts: cwsglobal.org/speakoutbit.ly/refugeeadvocacywww.interfaithimmigration.org

Join quarterly National Refugee Advocacy Calls. Next Call: 12:00 PM EST Friday, November 7th.