Poligon joins over 53 organizations in support of Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Jan Schakowsky’s Combating International Islamophobia Act (H.R.5665) – the legislation to establish a special envoy office at the U.S. State Department to monitor and combat international Islamophobia.
We urge all members of Congress to swiftly vote to approve the Combating International Islamophobia Act, without any amendments that would weaken or hinder the intended purpose of the legislation. Voting in support of any amendment that would diminish the impact of this act or hurt the prospect of its final passage would be viewed unfavorably. During the act's markup, we also expect it to be discussed and debated with courtesy and respect. We strongly support the creation of a special envoy position for combating and monitoring Islamophobia as instances of anti-Muslim hate crimes continue to rise in the U.S. and worldwide. About the Combating International Islamophobia Act H.R. 5665 would compel the State Department to develop a more comprehensive approach to fighting the global increase of Islamophobia, increasing its capacity to monitor and confront state and non-state actors worldwide and ensuring a safer environment for American Muslims. The two primary aims of the Combating International Islamophobia Act are: 1) Establishing an Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia at the State Department headed by a Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Islamophobia. 2) Amending the Foreign Assistance Act and International Religious Freedom Act to require annual reporting on Islamophobia in each foreign country and the steps taken by that country to combat it through educational programing and public awareness initiatives. The United States currently monitors and combats religious persecution internationally. The Combating International Islamophobia Act would extend this mission to Islamophobia. The act would also provide valuable information for understanding Islamophobia as a global phenomenon and give the U.S. a new tool to combat it. While global Islamophobia, anti-Muslim state policies and hate incidents have increased, for the past two decades the American Muslim community has consistently called for the creation of a special envoy position to monitor and combat this rising tide of hate – the Combating International Islamophobia Act would make this special envoy position a reality. Reasons to Support the Combating International Islamophobia Act: In its 2021 annual report, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) identified three Countries of Particular Concern primarily for their treatment of Muslims. Several additional countries listed by USCIRF were identified as having patterns of mistreatment and human rights violations against either their entire Muslim populations or particular sects of Muslims. This includes several Muslim-majority countries. State acts of persecution and violence against Muslims can be found in India and Burma – in addition to China, which the United States recognized as committing a genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghur Muslims and other Turkic minority groups living the country's Uyghur region. Anti-Muslim rhetoric, bigotry and acts of violence also go together with the rise of political parties that outwardly attack the rights of Muslims, especially in France and other parts of Europe. Transnational white supremacist and Islamophobic hate group networks have also inspired their followers to commit acts of anti-Muslim violence and terrorism, including but not limited to the tragic summer 2021 murder of a Muslim family in London, Ontario and the 2019 Christchurch, New Zealand Mosque shootings. Urge your elected officials to swiftly approve without any amendment the Combating International Islamophobia Act, which would provide valuable information for understanding Islamophobia as a global phenomenon and give the U.S. a new tool to combat it.
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BREAKING- The NO BAN Act passed in the House on April 21st!
Help us push the Senate to pass the NO BAN Act next. “How Can I Help?” Contact your Senator We’ve made it easy for you, use our sample script to contact your own Senator. As a constituent, your member values your opinion- and contacting your representative increases the traction on key issues such as the NO BAN Act. Take action with Poligon on the NO BAN Act today. Read our Action Alert Poligon has been working tirelessly from the beginning to ensure the NO BAN Act does not get neglected by Congress, too many lives have been at stake and continue to be at risk due to the implications of the 2016 executive order. Our brothers and sisters need us to be educated, active, and advocates. Donate to Poligon Poligon is committed to meeting with members of Congress to further advocate for this historical piece of legislation. Support Poligon today. The NO BAN Act will:
Here’s a sample call script to get you started: "Hello Senator ______, My name is ______ and I’m a constituent of _____(State), in the______ (District #). The NO BAN Act was passed in the House. I urge you to vote YES on the NO BAN Act. Banning individuals on the basis of religion and ethnicity does not represent American values and it violates our Constitution. Too many lives have been at stake and continue to be at risk due to Trump’s Muslim Ban. Help us ensure this never happens again. Will you say YES to the NO BAN Act?" Have questions? Email us at info@poligonnational.org. 
Our democracy is broken. But we have an opportunity to fix it.
The For the People Act ( S.1), is the boldest democracy reform bill introduced in decades. We are on a path to getting once-in-a-generation legislation to the President’s desk, but we need to make our voices heard to ensure it passes in the Senate! If enacted, the For the People Act will:
Restore Public Trust in the Election Systems The United States has one of the lowest voter turnout rates among developed nations, where nearly a quarter of all eligible voters are not registered. If passed, this bill can establish automatic voter registration, prohibit partisan gerrymandering, enhance federal support for voting system security, and bring an end to the use of dark money in politics by strengthening ethics laws and campaign finance oversight. Prioritize Equal Access to the Polls The For the People Act will modernize our election administration systems and provide practical solutions to long-standing problems that were exacerbated amidst the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 electoral process saw deep voter disenfranchisement, as false claims of voter fraud raged rampant, and mail-in ballots were villainized with misinformation. Such issues cultimanted into the distortion of the democratic process and the undermining of trust in our electoral processes. S.1 will ensure a more secure democracy and protect the right to vote! However, WE NEED YOUR HELP to ensure the bill passes in the Senate. Learn More:
Tell Your Senators to Pass S.1:For the People Act Click “start writing” to send a custom message directly to Senate leadership before it's too late. Contact your Senator and urge them to vote "YES" on S.1 with no amendments. Not sure what to say? We have a sample script ready for you! "Hi, my name is ________ and I am a constituent. I am reaching out to request that Senator __________ votes YES on For the People Act (S.1) without any amendments. This bill protects the freedom to vote, ensures the integrity of our elections, and holds our elected officials accountable. I urge the Senator to act swiftly and pass the For the People Act because it is a pro-democracy, pro-public integrity piece of legislation. Will the Senator do so? Thank you for your time."  Congress has passed the American Rescue Plan. COVID-19 has now claimed more than 500,000 lives, and disproportionately impacted high numbers of Black and Brown lives! You may have heard of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, a comprehensive legislation known as the "American Rescue Plan". The American Rescue Plan will:
 
Throughout American history, immigration policies have been used to target Jews, Catholics, Mormons and Muslims, among others. With the NO BAN Act in Congress, we have a real chance at ending religious discrimination in immigration laws. We join over 100 Muslim and immigrants’ rights organizations in applauding the reintroduction of the NO BAN Act, in the House of Representatives on Thursday, February 25. Poligon proudly advocated for and endorsed Rep. Judy Chu’s (D-CA-27) introduction of the bill in 2019 and again in the 117th Congress. The bill is co-sponsored by 137 House Representatives, championed in the Senate by Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), and is included in President Biden’s U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. Read Poligon’s full statement here. We will never forget the countless American families ripped apart by the #MuslimBan and #AfricanBan — we must ensure this discriminatory policy never happens again. Your letter can make a difference. Tell your Representative to co-sponsor and vote yes on the NO BAN Act today! The NO BAN Act will:
Here’s a sample call script to get you started: Hello, my name is ______ and I’m a constituent of Representative _____. I’m calling to ask you to vote to pass the NO BAN Act. Banning individuals on the basis of religion and ethnicity does not represent American values and it violates our Constitution. I urge Representative _____ to vote “YES” on supporting the No Ban Act. Will the Representative do so? Have questions? Email us at info@poligonnational.org.  January 6th 2021. This date will forever be remembered as an attack on our democracy, brought on by a violent mob of insurrectionists who refuse to accept the 2020 election results. This was an attack on the collective will of the people and demonstrated the urgency of reforming our democracy. With a newly elected progressive majority in Congress, now is our chance to get the job done! We have a chance to fix our democracy by passing the For The People Act, the most sweeping set of reforms to our democracy in a generation — to win, we need your help. Call your U.S. House Representative today at 1-888-246-5947 to urge them to support passing the For the People Act as a first order of business in the new Congress. Here's What the For the People Act Would Do- -Combat corruption by holding government officials accountable with new ethics standards. - Restore voting rights and offer new protections for voters; - Drive big money out of politics; and - End gerrymandering so that electoral districts are fairly drawn; President-elect Joe Biden has stated that a “first priority” of his administration will be democracy solutions like those in the For the People Act— and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said she’ll introduce the bill as a first order of business in the new Congress. You can read more about "the Case for HR 1" here. It’s up to us to demonstrate the strong grassroots support to ensure this legislation gets passed into law. We appreciate your advocacy efforts, we need your voice. 
The United States has surpassed over 282,000 deaths due to COVID-19! Congress has failed to act in the face of tremendous economic battles impacting the most vulnerable communities. Congress continues to negotiate a COVID-19 relief package, but time is running out as Congressional recess is fast approaching.
Join us in calling on our elected officials to immediately pass a comprehensive COVID-19 relief package and ensure that families are protected in such difficult times. A bipartisan $908 billion framework has been introduced without any legislative text. Vulnerable communities deserve a stronger sense of urgency. We urge the Senate to pass a COVID-19 relief bill that protects:
WE NEED YOUR VOICE: Vulnerable communities cannot wait! Write to your senator and demand they provide immediate relief to people impacted by COVID-19 today! 
Urge your Representative to Protect the Fourth Amendment and End anti-Muslim Discrimination!11/19/2020 
Recent news reports revealed that the data of over 98 million users has been compromised by the Muslim Pro App. While consumer-facing platforms are often legally restricted from sharing such information, certain legal loopholes allow for data brokers and third party firms without a direct relationship to consumers to share private data with government institutions.
Poligon Education Fund is calling on our Representatives in Congress to investigate such loopholes and protect the Fourth Amendment right of the people to be “secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.” Help us protect the American Muslim community: Tell your Representative to investigate personal data privacy concerns and uphold our Fourth Amendment rights. Our Fourth Amendment rights should not be compromised. Any and all legal loopholes in federal privacy laws must be addressed with the utmost concern. Policies that use religion as a basis for law enforcement scrutiny are unconstitutional. They foster stigma against law-abiding American Muslims that could have dangerous consequences. Other ramifications include widespread community fear about informants and law enforcement, interference with practicing one’s faith (through mosque attendance, Muslim student group participation, Islamic dress, etc.), and silencing free speech. The civil rights of American Muslims have been under constant threat since 9/11, and undermined by discriminatory programs and legislation launched in the name of national security. With a long history of mass surveillance programs, discriminatory profiling, and federal bans, manifested in legislations such as the PATRIOT Act, Muslim Ban, American Muslim voices and lived experiences must be amplified in the halls of Congress. We urge American Muslims and their allies to push their elected officials to call for an end to unconstitutional, ineffective, and harmful programs that violate the civil rights of Muslims and preemptively consider them guilty on account of their faith and ethnicity. 
It’s no secret that the U.S. Elections are driven by big corporate donors rather than us everyday citizens. And the next presidential administration is tasked with addressing important issues that impact our communities, such as: repealing the Muslim ban, overcoming the coronavirus pandemic, and dismantling systemic racism in America. But for the next administration to do that effectively, our democracy needs reform to be more representative and inclusive.
We urge the next President and Congress to pass the For the People Act (H.R.1) as a first priority in their administration. In March 2019, the bill passed in the House with unanimous support, but the Senate has yet to bring it up for a vote. The For the People Act (H.R.1) is a package of proven reforms that would:
This bill creates a more inclusive and representative political system. We need a fair and functional democratic system, where everyone can participate, every vote is counted, and every voice is heard. We demand a democracy that works for all of us. Sign your name to show the next administration and Congress that Day 1 is for Democracy the and to pass For the People Act. This petition will be delivered to Congress in January, at the start of the next Administration.  The House of Representatives adjourns October 5th for their recess until November 13th, and the Senate from October 12th until November 6th. Congressional recess is when your members of Congress will be back in your home state. It is a great opportunity to call or email your members of Congress directly to tell them about the issues that are most important to you! Here’s how: Who are your members of Congress? Click here to find out who represents you, how to contact them, and where their in-district offices are located. Click here to find contact information on your Senate members. Want to set up a constituent meeting? Learn how to schedule a meeting and make the most impact with our Office Visit How-to Guide. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, many offices will be holding virtual meetings. Try to schedule your meeting as early in advance as possible. Want to attend a virtual town hall? Town Hall Project has a simple search engine to find out when your representative’s next virtual or telephone town hall meeting is. Just enter your zip code. Use our Town Hall How-to Guide, also available in this toolkit, to help you prepare. Invite your friends and family to join you in making your voices heard! Not sure what to talk about? We've got you covered. Our policy briefs and action alerts on Islamophobia, bullying, and civil rights are great to look over and bring along to a meeting. You can also stay up to date on legislation going through Congress with our Hill Happenings newsletter. Here are a few ideas for issues to address: Supreme Court Justice Decision: The race to fill a seat on the Supreme Court left vacant by the recent passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hinges on approval from the Senate. The Senate must confirm a Supreme Court Judge that will protect the laws that we rely on, including voting rights, women’s rights, immigrant rights, and access to affordable health care. Urge the Senate to wait until after Inauguration Day to confirm a new Supreme Court justice. (Check out Poligon’s Supreme Court nomination guide for more information). Coronavirus Package: The United States has surpassed over 200,000 deaths due to COVID-19 and millions of families are financially struggling due to the pandemic. Congress and the White House have not successfully negotiated on a comprehensive COVID-19 Relief Package. Urge your member of Congress to act now and pass a COVID-19 Relief Package that includes: boosts to SNAP, immigrant inclusion, and funding for election security. Click here to learn more and send a letter to your Senator to provide relief to families impacted by the pandemic. Protecting Our Democracy Act: House Democrats introduced the Protecting Our Democracy Act, which aims to prevent presidential abuses, restore the system of checks and balances, increase transparency, and protect elections from foreign interference. Provisions within the bill include suspending the statute of limitations for federal offenses committed by a current president and strengthening Congress’ tools to enforce lawfully-issued subpoenas. Urge your Representative to protect our democracy by supporting this bill. The Delivering for America Act: The House voted to pass H.R.8015, the Delivering for America Act, which prohibits the USPS from implementing any changes to operations it had in place on January 1, 2020, and includes a $25 billion in funding for the Postal Service. Additionally, the bill would prevent the USPS from implementing any changes to the level of service, closure or consolidation of any post office or reduction in hours, and would allow for overtime. Delivering mail-in ballots is an essential function of the post office and is a safe and secure method of voting. Urge your Senator to act now and protect USPS. BONUS: Have you registered to vote? The upcoming 2020 election is critical for Muslims in America. Muslims must mobilize their votes and increase their civic engagement to demonstrate strength and solidarity during times when so many of our fellow communities are under attack. Check your current voter registration status or get registered to vote! Let us know at info@poligonnational.org how your visit goes, or make a post about your visit on social media. Be sure to tag @poligonnational on Twitter and Instagram! |
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Poligon Education FundA 501c3 non-partisan, non-profit organization providing research and education on issues of concern to Muslim Americans and their allies.
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