Oppose Trump Travel Ban

We, the undersigned, call on the Democratic National Committee to pass the following resolution at their upcoming meeting:
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Expressing the Support of the Democratic National Committee for the 1951 Refugee Convention and the protection of immigrants traveling to and residing in the United States of America

Submitted by
Susie Shannon, DNC Member, California
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, DNC Member, California
Christine Pelosi, DNC Member, California

Additional supporters: Congressman Ted Lieu and California DNC Members Garry Shay, Becca Doten and Aleita Huguenin

Whereas, The 1951 Refugee Convention, ratified by 145 State parties, including the United States of America, outlines the rights of the displaced, as well as the legal obligations of States to protect them; its core principle being non-refoulement, which asserts that a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom; and

Whereas, the UNHCR reports that 65.3 million people were displaced in 2015, approximately 21 million of which were refugees including 4.9 million from Syria, 1.2 million from South Sudan and 3.1 million from Iraq; and

Whereas, the Trump administration’s Executive Order issuing a travel ban on immigrants from seven majority Muslim countries, including Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen, makes clear that no U.S. visas will be issued to citizens of these states and anyone who already holds a visa will be denied entry into our country; and

Whereas, international leaders, heads of state and government bodies have denounced the Trump Administration Muslim travel ban, as evidenced by the unanimous vote in the UK House of Commons on January 30. 2017 requesting a U.S. repeal of the Executive Order; comments by German Chancellor Angela Merkel stating that, “the fight against terrorism does not justify a general advance against certain countries and people with a certain belief” and the African Union, representing 53 member states, recognizing in a statement the hypocrisy of issuing a travel ban on three of its member countries where slaves were once taken to provide free labor in the United States; and

Whereas, leaders from the civil rights, human rights, labor and religious communities are rising up against unwarranted attacks from the Trump administration against Muslim immigrants.

Therefore, be it resolved, that the Democratic National Committee affirms its commitment to speak out and take action against the immoral and inhumane executive order banning immigrants from seven majority Muslim countries from travel to the United States; and

Be It Further Resolved that the Democratic National Committee affirms that its shared values of equality and tolerance extend to immigrant communities across the globe and within our borders where we will stand in solidarity with those facing down hatred, discrimination and isolation; and

Be It Further resolved that we call on our congressional representatives to stand firm in denouncing the Trump Administration’s efforts to create policies that are both divisive and dangerous and hold us up for derision from the international community and those who subscribe to the basic tenets of refugee conventions and global human rights.