Refugees and HUMAN RIGHTS
To my fellow citizens of the blog world.What can you make up of this? Please let me know what you think and feel we should do, considering our position on the immigration laws. Under human rights programs, should we be obligated to extend our hands? When do we say no? Or shouldn't we?
Thanks all for your reads.
Just received this today.
Human Rights
Dear Phyllis,
Children threatened and alone. Mothers desperately looking for help. Every day, families in search of protection are sent to detention centers near the U.S.-Mexico border. Many of these vulnerable people may have legal claims as refugees. It’s a critical moment for justice.
You can help.
Human Rights First has long stood as a leader in refugee representation. We try to make sure that everyone gets a fair hearing and due process by matching pro bono attorneys with refugees in need.
And we’ve been successfully working with refugees for decades:
We’ve had a hand in nearly every major piece of human rights legislation in the United States, including the Refugee Act of 1980, the Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991, and the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act.
Thirty years ago, when the United States launched an unprecedented program of mandatory detention of Haitian boat people arriving in Florida, we helped secure the release of 1,800 refugees after finding volunteer lawyers to represent them.
Starting in 2012, we hosted meaningful dialogues across the country on the state of the immigration detention system. From Los Angeles to New Orleans, from Phoenix to Austin, the dialogues brought together unlikely partners to apply lessons learned from criminal justice reform to the immigration detention system.
Last year alone, we provided legal services worth more than $30 million to more than 900 refugees, winning more than 90 percent of our cases.
This year, we expanded our award-winning program to Houston to serve the needs of the local immigrant community.
We’ve been reporting from the border and the detention centers so that no one can forget the people who are waiting for our help. The U.S. government isn’t taking care of these families. We must.
It’s hard to imagine another organization better positioned to help in this crisis. You can reach out to those seeking safety, justice and a new life in the United States.
Please support our refugee protection work by making a gift to Human Rights First today.
Warm regards,
Elisa Massimino
President and CEO
P.S. Thanks to the generosity of The Atlantic Philanthropies, any new or increased gifts will be matched.
On human rights, the United States must be a beacon. America is strongest when our policies and actions match our values.
Human Rights First - American Ideals. Universal Values.
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Human Rights First is an independent advocacy and action organization that challenges America to live up to its ideals. We believe American leadership is essential in the struggle for human rights so we press the U.S. government and private companies to respect human rights and the rule of law. When they don't, we step in to demand reform, accountability and justice. Around the world, we work where we can best harness American influence to secure core freedoms.
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Comments (55)
I don't think this is an easy call. First of all, the illegals broke the law. We have too many illegals in our country as it is. This is a large burden on the American people. When do we say enough is enough? Personally, I am for sending these people back to the countries they came from. That may sound heartless but we cannot continue to try and handle the world's problems.
Thanks.
I agree with GJ. They need to be returned to their country, which of course will cost us money. They need to demonstrate in their countries for their needs, as they do here in our country. Recently, the Hispanics (many undocumented) demonstrated in front of ICE, then walked to the White House demonstrating about immigration reform. How can they demand on our soil what they want? You can come to the US legally, instead they choose to risk their lives crossing rivers...pay lots of money to be transported to the US. It's crazy what they do to make it here...and some don't. I'm rambling now. Immigration is a big issue here...they are costing us money...most eventually figure out that it is not easy to live here either as they were told or assumed. I do feel bad for them.
The Refugees goes to jail and get drowned at sea
But what makes one become a Refugee in the first place ??
When will we talk about giving these people a better chance to make a better life for them-selfes in their own country ?
When will we stop the wars ?
The Refugees is not going away only we dont want him in our back yard..
Perhaps you'd like to take a look at the following list:
You'll see the the US is only the 10th highest and barely takes in more refugees than much smaller, European nations such as France and the UK.
One does not fix a broken pipeline with only a bucket.
What are the causes people to become refugees in the frist place ?
I think this what we should ask our self.
For the record I am not talking about freeloders or illegal immigarants.
We can't ignore the ongoing restless and inability of our lawmakers to find a solution that doesn't conflict with human rights. But who's to say Yes, let's accommodate them without negative ramifications?
I agree with you.
Now I do agree with you that it will never stop. Now with 7 billion population and about 80 percent of that are living in inhuman conditions. I don't know how to create a program where we can all feel good about extending our kindness and compassion.
The United States is a country of immigrant. For many years people with religious , political and other needs have been welcome. We have heard about the "Mayflower" and the " Potato famine story" now it's the "Central American Children Story." What if these children were Canadian? Would it be ok to have them.
Lindsyjones, I think what you have done to help these refugees is quite noble.
Now I'm truly into human rights as activist, but now this movement has become embroiled with other political illnesses and just getting more and more complex.
"Refugee is a political concept originally created to extend our hands to those we destroyed against communism. US for Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and the middle east."
That's a bizarre statement.
It's from French. Refugié, and means "to take shelter, protect". It was first applied to French Huguenots who migrated after the revocation (1685) of the Edict of Nantes. The word meant "one seeking asylum".
Just read the letter sent to me.
We should be very precise with the language we use when speaking about such delicate topics. Otherwise, we end up making lazy assumptions about very important issues.
You said earlier that "it is what it is"
Let's make sure it also 'isn't what it is'.
I hate to sound like a stuck record, but this really does matter.
One must remember that being a refugee is not by choice.
The charity sounds like it does good work in supporting people with the often prohibitively high legal fees.
Thanks.
What a conundrum...I understand the need to help and also understand the reasons why it is a problem to act...the US are inundated with refugee claimants and how many can the citizens afford?...the economy is still in need of recovery and many are unemployed there...perhaps it should be a global effort?...monetary wise and such...we all need to help people from dire situations regardless whether it is political or poverty problem...
We would have to put ourselves in their shoes before we judge.
The country that accommodate these people are by any means must have resources to provide them. No doubt USA has quite an abundance except now according to this letter dropped this responsibility for whatever reason.
It seems only the human rights organization is the one footing the bill at the moment. Not only don't the government ignore them anymore, worse the immigration law stepped in classifying them as illegal entrants and therefore must be returned.
If we help them and make it easy, of course who is to stop the world.
QUESTION: When will it end? How much of the private sector can do to assist this noble task. I'm sure Bill Gates has an opening ear. I hope.
The sad thing is , they get processed and are left on the street to fend for themselves. There is no support financially here. They are entitled to Free health care , but without an address they cannot get the card.
Many kids are abbandoned by their parents or often single mums Who just cannot cope. Many refugees from Africa here tell horror stories of how bad life in Italy is for a refugee.
Most admit it was better back home from where they came .
I feel sorry for them , i cannot help wondering how it would be if America instead of spending the billions of dollars a day on war, to instead spend it on infrastructure in needy countries how that might not be a better solution.
I have experienced life in a country that did accept many thousands of refugees from Vietnam back in the seventies , Australia i would say has had a positive result over all with its Vietnamese refugees. The kids of the back then refugees are doing very well today. They educated their kids , worked very hard for themselves mostly ....Made good citizens of their new country . I thInk of the Vietnamese as a very welcome people in Australia , i have high praise and great respect for what they achieved,