Friend,

Even before he takes office, the Trump agenda for mass deportation is underway. Right now, U.S. Border Patrol agents are carrying out massive raids in the Central Valley -- where a quarter of our food is grown -- to detain and intimidate undocumented immigrants, and they are expanding their footprint each day.(1,2) We have a chance to keep Trump from using every means to deport our family, friends, and neighbors.

During World War II, the US government used the Alien Enemies Act to place Japanese Americans in concentration camps during one of the darkest moments in our history.(3) And now, Donald Trump wants to use that same law to racially profile people and violate people far from the border.

Trump’s plans are nothing short of state-sanctioned terror, allowing his government to deport people without regard for due process or human rights. Undocumented immigrants are core parts of our communities – our neighbors and friends, nearly 2 million in California alone.(4) We cannot let Trump and his cronies use this xenophobic law to justify deporting thousands.

Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep Ilhan Omar have introduced legislation to eliminate the Alien Enemies Act once and for all. Will you add your name to the petition urging members of Congress to support and pass the law now, before it’s too late?

Undocumented immigrants are key parts of our communities, making up about 6% of California’s population.

More than half of undocumented immigrants in California have been here for more than 10 years.(5) They work in key industries, such as construction, agriculture, and food service, and contribute more than $8.5 billion to the state budget in taxes.(6,7) Nearly a quarter of them own their homes.(8) One in 16 are married to or have children who are citizens.(9) Our immigrant neighbors are a key part of the fabric of our state. To remove them without justification and due process would be a horrific violation of fundamental human rights.

Trump is attempting to use an outdated law that has been almost universally discredited to terrorize innocent people for his political gain. The legislation brought forward by Sen. Hirono and Rep. Omar is a commonsense means of closing the door on a law that should never have been on the books in the first place.

Add your name: Tell Congress to support the Neighbors Not Enemies Act and protect our undocumented neighbors.

Thank you for being with us.

–Irene, along with Annie, Angela, Isidra, Cecilia, Jen, and Lindsay (the Courage team)

Footnotes:
1. https://calmatters.org/economy/2025/01/kern-county-immigration-sweep/
2. https://www.npr.org/2024/07/16/nx-s1-5026962-e1/central-valley-where-1-4-of-u-s-s-food-is-grown-faces-extreme-heat-for-a-2nd-week
3. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/alien-enemies-act-explained
4. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/07/22/what-we-know-about-unauthorized-immigrants-living-in-the-us/
5. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/CA
6. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/CA
7. https://calbudgetcenter.org/news/new-study-undocumented-immigrants-contribute-8-5-billion-in-california-taxes-a-year/
8. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/CA
9. https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/us-citizen-children-impacted-immigration-enforcement