We, the undersigned Pennsylvania and Delaware-based organizations and congregations, call upon elected officials in our states to fully and boldly stand against the most recent indicator that our country is fast sliding into authoritarianism and a regime of retributions: the arrest of green card holder Mahmoud Khalil in New York City.
As a diverse group of organizations and congregations, despite our differences, we are united in our belief that constitutionally protected speech cannot, and should not, be grounds to arrest or deport anyone – citizen and noncitizen alike.
We ask that our elected officials commit to:
- Doing all they can to publicly oppose efforts to deport Mr. Khalil, which would have far-reaching implications for civil rights and freedoms for all Americans,
- Stand against the attacks targeting immigrants and efforts to expand detention,
- Supporting local organizations that the federal government targets in the form of budget cuts to grants, or direct weaponization of government agencies.
We know that if we fail to defend one another’s rights today, including the rights of those with whom we disagree, we are risking all of our rights tomorrow.
We are clear-eyed that the First Amendment should be vigorously protected to prevent further erosion of our Constitutional rights.
We are committed to upholding the Constitution and to defending one another against unconstitutional attacks.
We will hold accountable all elected officials that fail to meet this low bar.
Respectfully,
Signatories (in order of receipt; will be updated every day)
- CAIR-Philadelphia
- FreedomRoad.us
- Reclaim Philadelphia
- Fridays@Fetterman’s
- Mennonite Action Philly
- West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship
- Germantown Mennonite Church
- Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley
- Prayers for Peace Alliance
- Masjid Ar Rahman
- Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition
- Casa de la Cultura
- Elevated inc
- Greater Philadelphia Branch, WILPF
- Center for Integration and Migrant Support (CIMS)
- VietLead
- Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance (API PA)
- Free Migration Project
- New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia
- HIAS Pennsylvania
- Philadephia Palestinian Americans
- NoBordersDE
- Delawareans for Palestinian Human Rights
- Philadelphia Chapter American Friends of Combatants for Peace
- Woori Center
- Tabernacle United Church
- Islamic Society of Central Delaware
- My Lehigh Valley Youth Organization
- Peace, Justice, Sustainability, NOW!
- Make The Road Pennsylvania
- Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh (BCAP)
- Abortion Liberation Fund of PA
- Philadelphia Communist Party USA
- Direct Action United
- Lehigh Valley Democratic Socialists of America
- CAIR-Pittsburgh
- Emgage PA
- FOSNA Pittsburgh
- Valley View Church (PCUSA)
- Center City Mosque – Philadelphia, PA
- POWER Interfaith
- LEPOCO Peace Center
- Penn Civic Voices
- Japanese American Citizens League Philadelphia Chapter
- SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania
- Irish for Palestine Philadelphia
- IfNotNow Philly
- Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East, UUs of Mt Airy/Justice Council Chapter