Dear Members, Allies, and Affiliates,
 
The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on two immigration bills, No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, H.R. 3003 and Kate’s Law, H.R. 3004, each with harmful consequences for immigrant survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The Partnership and CALCASA join with the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence in opposing these bills.
 
Call your Representative
Call your Member of Congress now and tell them these two bills will harm survivors. You can use the following link to find the contact information for your Representative: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ 
 
Sample call script: Hello, my name is _(name)_ from  __(city)_ . I care about the needs of immigrant survivors of domestic and sexual violence and ask the Representative to oppose the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, H.R. 3003 and Kate’s Law, H.R. 3004 because these laws would harm immigrant crime victims, even if they are not intended to do so. The immigrant victims of domestic violence and sexual assault are already afraid to call law enforcement because of recent ICE arrests. Bills like these seriously discourage victims from seeking help from local law enforcement and from accessing the services available. Kate’s law would turn many victims of crime into criminals and give another weapon of power and control to abusers, rapists, and human traffickers.
 
When victims of crime are afraid to seek help, all our communities are less safe. Please vote against these bills that will force immigrant victims to hide from safety and justice. Thank you.”
 
Background Info
The National Task Force sent a letter to Members of Congress today, outlining the reasons for opposing these bills and the negative impacts on survivors. You can view the letter by clicking here.
 
No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, H.R. 3003 – this bill would punish jurisdictions for their “sanctuary city” status and runs contrary to community policing efforts and would deter immigrant domestic violence and sexual assault survivors from reporting crimes and seeking help for themselves and their children.
 
Kate’s Law, H.R. 3004 – this bill increases penalties for individuals who re-enter the United States after being denied admission or removed, offers sentencing enhancements, and removed the ability to challenge removal orders. It also does so without recognizing the compelling humanitarian circumstances in which victims who have been previously removed return for their safety.
 
If you have any questions regarding these bills, please contact: 

• The Partnership’s Public Policy Manager, Krista Niemczyk. Email: krista@cpedv.org or Phone: (916) 444-7163
• CALCASA’s Public Policy Associate, Kristina Solberg. Email: ksolberg@calcasa.org or Phone: (916) 446-2520 ext. 310 

 
In Solidarity,
 
The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence and the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault