Dear John,

You have to hear this incredible news:

Thanks to thousands of activists like you, and the relentless work of their lawyers, today's planned deportations of families seeking asylum in the South Texas Family Residential Center have been stopped!

But preventing deportations isn't enough. We can't stop until ICE frees people — including ALL families — from detention.

Because you are a supporter of human rights, we want to share this insider update about this effort — Amnesty’s number one priority for the first 100 Days of the Biden Administration.

We hope to inspire you with the opportunity. We hope to update you on the urgency. And we hope to show you the impact your dedication can have on individuals at their time of greatest need.

Thank you!

THE OPPORTUNITY

Through a flurry of early actions, President Biden signaled his willingness to roll back several of President Trump’s harmful policies on asylum-seekers, refugees, and immigrants — many of which Amnesty has been campaigning against for years.

President Biden has rescinded travel and immigration restrictions on several Muslim-majority countries. He has suspended the Trump administration’s policy of requiring non-Mexican asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for their U.S. Court hearings and halted border wall construction. A federal judge temporarily suspended the moratorium on most deportations, but we must remember that President Biden issued the moratorium because of our pressure and demand for change. While the policy makes its way through the courts, the administration needs to press forward and not only roll back the Trump administration’s hateful policies, but transform the system as we know it. That includes freeing people, including all families, from detention.

Support from people like you has enabled Amnesty to apply consistent pressure on decision makers, including many on the Biden transition team, to dismantle policies that violate human rights. Thank you!

THE URGENCY

Despite the good news, thousands of immigrants and asylum-seekers — parents and their children among them — are STILL locked up in ICE detention centers.

Amnesty International USA’s number one priority for the first 100 days of the Biden administration is our campaign to free people and all families from ICE detention. While President Biden has already taken action to start tearing down President Trump’s anti-immigration policies, he has not yet made any commitments to free the thousands of immigrants and asylum-seekers unjustly locked up by ICE.

We must show a groundswell of support that cannot be ignored. Your action — when multiplied by tens of thousands — will apply pressure, shine light on this emergency, and make a difference.

Sign our petition, which we’ll deliver to President Biden and key administration officials who have the power to free people and families. »

THE INDIVIDUAL IMPACT

One individual still unjustly detained by ICE is Pastor Steven Tendo, an ordained minister seeking safety from danger in Uganda. Ugandan government forces tortured him, amputated two of his fingers, and murdered several of his family members. He will likely be killed if returned.

He has been detained for more than two years after requesting asylum. His health rapidly deteriorated from inadequate care for his diabetes. While the government was forced to provide better medical care because of our collective outrage, he still has a compromised immune system. Despite this vulnerability, ICE has kept him locked up in a facility where over two hundred people contracted COVID-19 while detained.

Activist voices have ALREADY temporarily stopped the deportation of Pastor Steven, and now we must join together to demand his freedom and safety. Act Now: Demand ICE release him immediately »

John, we’ve got our work cut out for us — there is so much President Biden must undo, and so many actions he must take to protect human rights for so many people and communities. But we can make this happen. We can ensure that ICE releases all families from detention, and frees individuals like Steven Tendo.

On behalf of all of us at Amnesty, I want to thank you for your stalwart commitment to human rights.

Your spirit and determination are a critical part of our success.

With appreciation,

Billie Hirsch
Director of Online Engagement
Amnesty International USA

P.S. If you feel inspired by what we can achieve when working together, consider making a one-time, tax-deductible donation to help fuel this work in the weeks and months ahead. Amnesty relies on individuals like you to fund our campaign and research efforts.

© 2021 Amnesty International USA

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