Dear community members and friends,
On Friday evening President Donald Trump signed Executive Orders targeting visas issued to Muslims from certain countries and refugees.
On Saturday evening a Federal Judge granted a stay on deportations. Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/28/federal-judge-stays-deportations-trump-muslim-executive-order
What you need to know right now:
Generally, non-citizens, including green card holders (lawful permanent residents), from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen will be restricted from entering the U.S. for at least 90 days. Non-citizens from these countries who are presently in the U.S. should consult with an immigration attorney prior to any international travel
However, if you are a green card holder (lawful permanent resident) outside of the U.S. please reach out to an immigration attorney before you travel back to the U.S.
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:
If you are non-citizen, even green card holders (lawful permanent residents), 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 are a non-citizen from one of the seven countries named above, and you are outside of the U.S., you may face issues at the airport. Please keep looking for updates in the coming days to assess your travel options. If you are facing an emergency at the airport or are coming home in the coming days, please have our number on hand (908-668-5900)
Whether you are a citizen or not, do not permit law enforcement to enter your home without a warrant. Even if they have a warrant, you should not speak to them without consulting with an attorney
What you can do to push back against this:
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
Write a letter of support for S.B. 31, which is critical legislation needed to protect against the creation of a Muslim registry.