John,

A little over a month ago, I joined a group of faith and political leaders from all over the country in El Paso. We were there to get some firsthand knowledge of what is happening at our southern border, so, rather than relying on media reports, we met directly from activists on the front line about what the people they’re trying to help are experiencing.

It was a full couple of days. We were guided by an activist who organizes on behalf of people seeking to immigrate into our country. She took us to see the border wall, where we discussed its impact, both physical and psychological, on the communities it divides. She introduced us to a couple that lives and works in New Mexico without documentation. Far from the stereotypes we often hear, their stories of bravery, discrimination, and struggle were incredibly moving.

We sat in on a special in-district committee hearing on immigration legislation led by Congresswoman Veronica Escobar. She and several of her congressional colleagues spent several hours questioning experts on immigration policy. After the hearing, our group toured a facility that helps people who’ve been released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody connect with their sponsors in the United States. We ended our trip with a vigil at the El Paso Walmart where a gunman tragically targeted people with brown skin just a few months ago.
In the days since, I’ve been processing what I learned in El Paso. Let me share a few things that really stuck with me.

First, we need to shift how we talk about what is happening at the border. Activists repeatedly told us that we don’t have a “border security” problem; we have a “border governance” problem.

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Changing our language deescalates tension. It moves us away from language that pits groups against each other and it recognizes the importance of bringing everyone to the table who is impacted by border policy. Imagine having congressional leaders who would use rhetoric that leads to compassionate solutions rather than bigoted divisions!

Second, Republicans are not the only ones whose votes are problematic . The portion of the wall we visited was erected during the Obama Administration. Certainly, Donald Trump has made the wall a symbol of his presidency, but this problem predates him.

Further, while Democrats like to talk about how they have not funded Trump’s wall, many of them have voted to fund border maintenance, which is used to replace chain link fencing with 18-30 foot barriers. These barriers don’t just inhibit people’s ability to migrate—they have a profound environmental impact as well. We need to elect people to Congress who won’t be disingenuous on where they stand!

Third, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and ICE are big problems. I learned in El Paso that CBP operates outside of the normal and constitutional protections of due process. They have the authority to detain people with far greater latitude than police forces do.

CBP’s authority extends to 100 miles from the entire border. This means that two-thirds of our population lives within CBP’s control. It is not a stretch to imagine a scenario where that authority could be utilized for nefarious purposes without legal precedent or executive order.

I’m proud that BNC has been a leader in the Abolish ICE and CBP movement, and that we support candidates who will act on this promise!

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I came home from El Paso more convinced than ever that the work we are doing at Brand New Congress is essential, because:

we must elect leaders who will lead on border governance with justice and generosity;

we must elect leaders who will resist wall-building in all forms; and,

we must elect leaders who will abolish CBP and ICE.


Thank you for supporting the important work we do here at Brand New Congress. Together we will make a difference.

Sincerely,

Robb Ryerse
Executive Director

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