Take Action!
Support Florida Bills to End Use of the Death Penalty
Your voice matters. House Bill 6013 “Death Penalty” and Senate Bill 472 “Death Penalty” have been introduced in the 2019 Florida Legislature. This legislation needs your support. Please contact your Florida State Senator or Representative and ask them to support these “Death Penalty” bills. These bills would end the use of Florida’s Death Penalty. Florida’s Death Penalty program is wasteful, costly, and unnecessary. It risks the execution of innocent people. 28 people on Florida’s Death Row have been exonerated and released thus far. There are more. You can find your legislator by clicking here. Your voice matters.
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Tell Congress: Pass the Families Belong Together Act.
Ripping immigrant children from their families is an unconscionable act.
Yet multiple Trump officials revealed last week that they failed to raise any flags or concerns about this cruel policy. They appear to have carried it out without hesitation. (1)
Until Congress holds every Trump enabler accountable and the government frees and reunites every family it tore apart, this crisis will continue to plague the lives of immigrant survivors and the American people. Rep. Joaquin Castro and Sen. Richard Blumenthal recently introduced legislation that would begin to repair the damage Trump’s zero-tolerance and family separation policies inflicted on asylum seekers. (2) Speak out now to demand that Congress pass this important bill.
Tell Congress: Pass the Families Belong Together Act.
A horrific new report just revealed that thousands of immigrant children have been sexually abused in detention centers over the past four years. It also showed that complaints of abuse sharply increased when Trump took office. (3)
This report further proves that ICE and CBP are dangerous rogue agencies. They already have long records of abuse, mismanagement and corruption, made worse by Trump’s racist regime. No one – especially children – belongs in ICE custody. Despite all this, a majority of Democrats just joined Republicans in passing a DHS budget bill that expands this violent deportation force. Democrats need to do better.
Passing the Families Belong Together Act is a step in the right direction. It would give many immigrant survivors of Trump’s zero-tolerance and family separation policies the opportunity to: (4)
Return to the United States and get their green card.
Qualify for citizenship so that they can fully access medical treatment in the United States.
The bill would also increase funding for federal programs to educate immigrant children and parents on their legal rights and help facilitate their access to counsel.
Even though the Families Belong Together Act has no chance of becoming law under this administration, it’s important that we build momentum for it now and force every member of Congress to make their positions clear. Will they stand with a racist administration that is escalating state-sanctioned child abuse or immigrants and the progressive allies who have their backs? Add your name now to make sure Democrats and Republicans of good conscience do the right thing.
Tell Congress: Pass the Families Belong Together Act.
References:
- Priscilla Alvarez, “Five takeaways from Tuesday’s family separation hearing,” CNN, Feb. 26, 2019.
- Rep. Joaquin Castro, “Castro & Blumenthal Introduce Legislation to Address the Family Separation Crisis,” Jan. 30, 2019.
- Matthew Haag, “Thousands of Immigrant Children Said They Were Sexually Abused in U.S. Detention Centers, Report Says,” The New York Times, Feb. 27, 2019.
- Rep. Castro, “Castro & Blumenthal Introduce Legislation to Address the Family Separation Crisis.”
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End Florida’s Death Penalty!
PCF is committed to bringing an end to Florida’s use of the Death Penalty…please support this effort!
Photo and list of Florida’s Exonerated Death Row Prisoners from FADP.
PRAY-STUDY-ACT
Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! – Deut. 30:19
PRAY
Using the following prayer pray by Sr. Helen Prejean, daily for those on death row; for the family and friends of their victims and for an end to Florida’s use of the death penalty.
God of Compassion,
You let your rain fall on the just and the unjust.
Expand and deepen our hearts
so that we may love as You love
even those among us
who have caused the greatest pain by taking life.
For there is in our land a great cry for vengeance
as we fill up death rows and kill the killers
in the name of justice, in the name of peace.
Jesus, our brother,
you suffered execution at the hands of the state
but you did not let hatred overcome you.
Help us to reach out to victims of violence
so that our enduring love may help them heal.
Holy Spirit of God,
You strengthen us in the struggle for justice.
Help us to work tirelessly
for the abolition of state-sanctioned death
and to renew our society in its very heart
so that violence will be no more.
Amen.
STUDY
Form a study group in your parish or community – familiarize yourself with the true facts about Florida death penalty. For death penalty resources:- U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/death-penalty-capital-punishment/ )
- Florida Catholic Conference (http://www.flacathconf.org/lifeanddeath/deathpenalty/index.php
- Pax Christi Florida (https://paxchristiflorida.org/resources/)
ACT
Contact Gov. Scott – each one of us can make a difference. It is important that Gov. DeSantis hear from as many Floridians as possible.
Gov. Ron DeSantis The Capitol 400 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32399 Phone: 850-488-7146 Fax: 850-487-0801 Email: https://www.flgov.com/email-the-governor/ Write a Letter to the Editor– an effective way to reach thousands. Email or write letters to your local Catholic and secular newspapers with your concerns about Florida’s death penalty. It would be good to point out that Florida leads the nation in the number of condemned death row inmates who have been exonerated. Organize a Deathwatch Prayer Vigil – Florida is signing death warrants at an alarming rate! The time is NOW for those of us who oppose Florida’s death penalty to stand up and be counted! Bring your message to the streets whenever an execution is schedule to be carried out in the name of the people of State of Florida. Resources are available on Pax Christi Florida’s Resource Page (see above).
