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Alien Enemies Act: A Fraught and Rarely Used Law
In 1798, during a feared invasion by France, the U.S. government enacted a set of four bills targeting immigrants and noncitizens known as the Alien and Sedition Acts. Three of the four bills either expired or were repealed during President John Adams’ tenure. However, one of the original bills endured â the Alien Enemies Act. This law remains in effect today and allows the sitting president wartime authority to apprehend, intern, and deport immigrants who originate from an âenemy nation.â The Alien Enemies Act has been invoked three times in our nation’s history, each time during a major conflict: the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II.…
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Q&A About New Executive Orders Concerning Immigration and DeportationÂ
The new presidential administration has issued many executive orders focused on immigration issues since taking office. Some of these executive orders have already begun to impact families and systems, some are being challenged legally, and some will lead to actions and consequences that are not yet known. This brief Q&A intends to answer simple questions with currently available information about terms you might hear or read about in the coming days. Links to additional sources and more information related to each question are included. Q: What is âbirthright citizenshipâ?A: The 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868 and reads: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to…
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Call to Action: Urge Federal Elected Officials and the President to Create Lasting Bipartisan Immigration Solutions That Are Secure, Humane, Efficient, and Focused on Growth
The American people have cast their majority vote, and President-elect Donald Trump will take office this January. As he begins working to enact his immigration campaign promises, we pray for and call on him and other elected officials to ensure future policies and actions are rooted in moral, ethical, practical, and legal principles. Some MWEG leaders are traveling to Capitol Hill in D.C. this week to talk to legislators about immigration and would love to hand deliver your letters that convey your personal convictions on this important and urgent issue! Use our advocacy tool to write a letter to your representatives. Quickly enter your contact information, write your letter, and…
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Thank Your Members of Congress and Ask for More Support of the Afghan Adjustment Act
Many of our Afghan neighbors are still in limbo In July 2023, a large bipartisan group of legislators reintroduced the Afghan Adjustment Act (H.R.4627/S.2327). While this movement continues to grow, the allies of those who fought alongside and supported our troops in the 20-year Afghan War are still waiting for the family reunification, safety, peace of mind, and permanency this bill could provide. Write your members of Congress now to thank them for their support and urge swift action to end this agonizing state of legal limbo for so many. Following the chaotic U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, more than 130,000 Afghans were evacuated. Almost half of those…
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Ask Your Members of Congress to Support the Afghan Adjustment Act
Update: In July 2023, a large bipartisan group of legislators reintroduced the Afghan Adjustment Act. In November 2023, Mormon Women for Ethical Government launched another call to action to let legislators know the AAA is still important to citizens and to encourage them to sign it into law by the end of the year in order to maintain national security, honor the sacrifices of our veterans, and fully welcome our new neighbors to our communities. Our new Afghan neighbors are in limbo Following the chaotic U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, more than 130,000 Afghans were evacuated. Almost half of those evacuees were children. After significant vetting in third…
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Call to Action: End Using Title 42 as Border Immigration Policy
In March 2020 the Trump administration implemented Title 42, part of the 1944 Public Health Service Act, which “allows the government to prevent the introduction of individuals during certain public health emergencies.” This policy was not recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and has enabled both the Trump and Biden administrations to ignore long-standing norms and laws related to the processing of asylum seekers at the U.S. border. TO DO Contact your members of Congress requesting their support for our administrationâs plan to end the use of Title 42 at the border on May 23. You can find instructions and…
