the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the oldest and largest Irish-American group; the American Conservative Union; the Free Congress Foundation; the Republican Liberty Caucus; Episcopal Migration Ministries; the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Human Rights First; Amnesty International and September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.
Concerns have also been expressed by former Republican Congressman Bob Barr and the executive director of Gun Owners of America, Larry Pratt, who wrote in a Washington Times op-ed last November that the asylum provision would "[force] Christians and others fleeing persecution to provide written ‘corroboration’ from the very officials they are fleeing." The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society has also issued a report denouncing the measure.
Don't fall for Sensenbrenner's last minute appeasement ploy:
Sensenbrenner has also offered an amendment to make the bill appear to offer something valuable to the persecuted, but actually makes the bill worse, the ACLU said. The amendment would lift the artificially low cap that leads to long delays for those who have been granted asylum to obtain green cards, but it would also add additional restrictions and asylum and court-stripping provisions that would take away the power of the courts to review unlawful actions by the government in many deportation cases.
The judiciary is an essential check on the permissible limits of executive and congressional exercise of power. Don't let Congress fritter it away.
The Human Rights First has more. Conservation groups also oppose the bill - check out Defenders of Wildlife. Our prior warning about the bill is here.
Many Dems oppose this bill. They need to hear from their consituents. Send this message tonight. Call early tomorrow morning. Toll free number for all members of Congress is (877) 762-8762. Ask to be connected to your Congressperson. You can also send an email to the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, here.
This is just another bill that fails to make us safer while stripping away more freedoms.