Tell DC Council: Protect Immigrant Rights!

Dear DC Community,

At a time where the rights of vulnerable communities in our city are continually being infringed upon, we urge you to stand for and with us in protecting immigrant communities. Right here in DC, a supposed "Sanctuary City," our elected officials leave us disappointed. For the past 18 months, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson had blocked a proposed Bill that would ensure translation and interpretation be provided at DC social/public service agencies, as required by the Language Access Act of 2004. The Chairman even went so far as denying residents' right to seek private action, disallowing them their right to sue government agencies in cases where their rights are infringed upon.

After several postponements, the Bill will be voted on by the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday 13th November 2018, but not before stripping it down completely.

Would you please help us safeguard the rights of DC's immigrants to receive the services we deserve?

It takes just 2 minutes to call your Council member and remind them before their proposed day of vote on 11/13/2018 that any Bill they pass must include:

1. HIRING specialized staff (Language Access Coordinators) and allocating resources at DC schools so that immigrant students and families can access resources in their preferred language leading them to a better path to succeed;

2. Providing a true ENFORCEMENT mechanism in the form of a fine levied against agencies that continue to breach language access laws and discriminate against our immigrant families; and

3. Dedicated funding to ensure language access.

—CALL IN NUMBER:

Chairman Phil Mendelson (202) 724-8032 | pmendelson@dccouncil.us

At-Large

Elissa Silverman (202) 724-7772 | esilverman@dccouncil.us

Anita Bonds (202) 724-8064 | abonds@dccouncil.us

David Grosso (202) 724-8105 | dgrosso@dccouncil.us

Robert C. White, Jr. (202) 724-8174 | rwhite@dccouncil.us

Ward 1 – Brianne K. Nadeau (202) 724-8181 | bnadeau@dccouncil.us

Ward 2 – Jack Evans (202) 724-8058 | jevans@dccouncil.us

Ward 3 – Mary M. Cheh (202) 724-8062 | mcheh@dccouncil.us

Ward 4 – Brandon T. Todd (202) 724-8052 | btodd@dccouncil.us

Ward 5 – Kenyan McDuffie (202) 724-8028 | kmcduffie@dccouncil.us

Ward 6 – Charles Allen (202) 724-8072 | callen@dccouncil.us

Ward 7 – Vincent C. Gray (202) 724-8068 | vgray@dccouncil.us

Ward 8 – Trayon White, Sr. (202) 724-8045 | twhite@dccouncil.us

—SUGGESTED SCRIPT:

My name is [NAME] from [YOUR WARD]. I ask that Councilmember _______________ be a true champion for DC immigrants by 1) voting to amend Council Chairman's Mendelson's markup of Bill 22-75: Language Access Amendment for Education Act of 2018 and 2) ensuring that this legislation is fully funded. Our immigrant communities, especially our immigrant youth, need a strong, funded language access law in order to survive and thrive in the District. This will only happen if Language Access Coordinators are hired in our local schools and if DC agencies have to face a fine for failing to uphold the law. Immigrants deserve a fully funded, truly enforceable protection!