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Action Alert: Decry Trump Administration’s Cruel, Hateful Policies that Threaten Hundreds of Thousands of Lives

Background: On November 26th, media reported on a violent attack on two members of the National Guard, resulting in one death and critically wounding another. This is an unimaginable tragedy, and we mourn with their grieving families. We call for justice and accountability for the alleged perpetrator, an Afghan national who served alongside the U.S. mission, was evacuated after the fall of Kabul in August 2021, and was granted asylum in the United States earlier this year. RCUSA’s statement in response to this news is available here.

The Trump administration exploited this tragedy to further their already-extreme anti-refugee, anti-asylum, anti-immigrant policy agenda. In an alarming move toward collective punishment, we have witnessed the vilification of entire communities based on the actions of one individual. Casting blame on Afghans, refugees, or immigrants writ large is not sound national security policy, and it does not bring justice to the grieving families.

In addition to the sweeping re-review of all refugee arrivals under the Biden administration announced just last week, a series of sweepingly cruel and hateful policies were announced in the aftermath of the November 26th tragedy, including:

  • USCIS halted all asylum application decisions (USCIS Policy Memo here, USCIS director here, CBS report here)
  • USCIS issued new guidance about use of country specific information during vetting of noncitizens from 19 countries on the travel ban (USCIS here)
  • State Department halted issuance of visas for Afghan nationals (State Dept here)
  • USCIS halted processing of “immigration related requests” for Afghan nationals (here)
  • USCIS plans to reexamine all permanent residence grants for nationals from 19 countries on the travel ban (Press Secretary here, CNN here)
  • President Trump called for “re-examination” of all Afghans who came to the US during the Biden admin (NBC here)

Now is a critical time to urge our national, state, and local elected leaders to issue public statements against hateful, xenophobic rhetoric and policies from President Trump and his administration. Hate must not beget hate, and violence must not beget violence. 

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