By Lily Tajaddini
My family is from one of the countries on Trump’s Muslim ban—Iran—and it has been two years now that my community has been hurting from this vile, racist policy.
There are already two bills in Congress designed to block funds from being used to implement the ban—S.426 and H.810. Now Representative Judy Chu and Senator Chris Coons are introducing the No BAN Act to repeal prior versions of the Muslim ban and the executive order, and to block future administrations from being able to enact such a bigoted policy ever again. Can you contact your representatives in Congress and ask them to be an original cosponsor of the historic No BAN Act?
The Muslim ban indefinitely prevents people from five Muslim-majority countries — Libya, Iran, Somalia, Syria and Yemen — plus North Korea and Venezuela from being able to apply for either immigrant or nonimmigrant (visitor, student, work, etc) visas to enter the U.S. Supposedly exception waivers can be achieved, but as of June 2018, only 2 percent of exemptions applied for were granted.
In December 2018, Shaima Swileh, the mother of terminally ill 2-year-old Abdullah Hassan, had to sue the State Department in order to get an exemption to travel from Yemen join her son and hold him as he died. It took many months and Abdullah — an American citizen — had to be placed on life support in order to wait for his mother to finally arrive and kiss him goodbye. This kind of racist torment is UNACCEPTABLE! Tell your representatives in Congress to join the NO BAN Act as an original cosponsor.
We will do everything in our power to reject the xenophobic, discriminatory policies that target Muslims, refugees, and immigrants. We won’t let Trump continue to spread his anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant hate. No one should ever be prevented from entering the U.S. because of their religion, skin color, or country of origin. Tell your representatives in Congress to join the No BAN Act as an original cosponsor.
Towards peace,
Lily Tajaddini and the entire CODEPINK team: Ann, Ariel, Carley, Jodie, Kelly, Kelsey, Kirsten, Maya, Mark, Medea, Nancy, Paki, Ryan, Sarah, Tighe, Ursula and Zena