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Take Action Now: Shout about the UPU Treaty Withdrawal
The Trump administration is attacking voting rights again - this time the rights of Americans abroad - through their plans to withdraw from the Universal Postal Union on October 16th. If the withdrawal goes forward, postal mail service to the United States will be thrown into disarray and the USPS expects postal service to and from the States to be massively disrupted.
This action will hit voters from abroad hard. Beyond the widespread, unprecedented disruption to personal, business and financial affairs that the withdrawal will create, voters abroad will not be able to return their ballots or ballot requests by standard postal mail.
Just consider - in 2018, 67% of ballots from abroad were returned by postal mail.
Call your Senators and your Representative and demand that they pressure the Trump administration to stop this nonsense now.
- Demand they push for the Trump administration to allow the uninterrupted flow of overseas mail to the US
- Remind them that your ability to vote depends on being able to get your overseas ballot back to the US on time, and that goes for everyone voting abroad in every state and district across the country.
- Consider including a personal story of your experience returning your overseas ballot, or other ways you depend on sending and receiving mail to and from the US.
Contact your governor and state legislators and ask them to step up to preserve your right to vote from abroad.
Whether you’re voting for President or town council members, the rules that determine how you can request, receive and return your ballot are decided at the state level. State legislation can make it harder for you to vote from abroad, or it can create a path around the mess that will be made by the Postal Union withdrawal.
1. Use this guide from Vote From Abroad to look up your state’s ballot delivery methods.
2a. If your state requires ballot requests and/or returns be sent by mail (and not email/online submission), contact your governor and state legislators.
- Ask that they push for legislation in 2020 which allows their military and civilians abroad to submit their absentee ballot requests (aka “FPCAs”) and overseas ballots by email or online submission.
2b. If your state allows ballot requests and/or returns to be done online or via email, consider letting your governor and state legislators know how much you appreciate these essential, modern solutions which ensure that you can easily and securely request and return your ballot. In order for these options to be maintained, it’s helpful for them to know why it matters to you!
Protect your right to vote!
- If you aren’t registered to vote yet and will vote in any of these states, register to vote as an overseas voter NOW -- before the UPU withdrawal.
Go to www.votefromabroad.org and click “start” to fill out your voter registration form and overseas absentee ballot request. Then mail it in ASAP.
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Idaho
- New Jersey
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Tiny Action: Immigrants Welcome
From the non-emergency emergency, to continuing to separate families at the border, to making it more difficult for American citizens to return to the US with their own families, the Trump administration is taking drastic measures to effectively shut down all immigration, impacting thousands of Americans — not just those in the US, but around the world.
This week’s Tiny Action: Voice your support for families impacted by Trump’s Anti-Immigration Agenda, and share your story if these immigration policies are impacting you and your loved ones.
Secretary Nielsen’s legacy will be one of cruelty and inhumane immigration tactics, but that wasn’t enough. Trump purged DHS of leaders who told him his extreme immigration proposals weren’t legal, and then he personally ordered border agents to ignore rulings by federal judges.
Going largely unnoticed, the administration also announced plans to shut down all foreign offices of the DHS US Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS), a move that will worsen the already arduous immigration process, including for spouses, families and adopted children of Americans living abroad.
Meanwhile, House Democrats have introduced the Dream and Promise Act to protect DACA and TPS recipients, and Dems in both the House and the Senate introduced the NO BAN Act, to end the Muslim ban and future discriminatory immigration practices. But these bills will not proceed without your support, and they are only the next steps. There is still much work to be done.
1. Tell your representative that you support H.R. 6 in full, and that you oppose new family separation policies and closing overseas offices of USCIS.
First, check if they are cosponsoring H.R. 6, a bill which would allow DREAMers to apply for legalization, and TPS holders to apply for green cards. Then call your representative using our script here.
2. Tell your representative and your senators that you also support the NO BAN Act and strongly oppose separating families at the border.
First, check if they are cosponsoring H.R. 2214 / S. 1123, to put a stop to the Muslim ban once and for all, and prevent future discriminatory immigration bans. Then call your representative and both senators using our script here.
3. If your family could be directly impacted by the closure of the USCIS offices or Trump’s immigration policies, let us know. And then help spread the word about why this issue matters to you.
Real-life stories of how an anti-immigration administration impacts our members and the families of Americans abroad can be incredibly helpful in our fight for fairer policies for all. If you have a story to share about your experience under the Trump administration’s immigration policies, please reach out to info@democratsabroad.org. We will not share or publish your experience or identifiable information without discussing with you further.
Regardless of whether or not you are directly impacted, you can offer a new perspective by talking to friends and family about why you think immigration rights, and these bills in particular, are so important.
Consider posting a link to this action on social media, sharing one of the news stories mentioned below, or sharing your own family’s experience online, to start a conversation. It may seem small, but the more people are aware of this issue and how it impacts Americans like us, the more we can push for progress.
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Tiny Action: #ReleaseTheReport
The Mueller investigation is over. The Special Counsel has released the full report to AG William Barr, and Barr must now disclose those findings to Congress.
But on Tuesday, AG William Barr missed the deadline set by Congress to release the full Mueller report. Barr’s refusal to cooperate indicates that we are crossing one of the red lines that groups like Indivisible and MoveOn agreed to over a year ago: If Congress or the administration blocks the public from seeing Mueller's findings, we mobilize.
This week’s Tiny Action: Demand that Mueller's report must be made public, and that Congress must use their oversight power to fully investigate.
Today, April 4, groups are mobilizing across the US, calling for Barr to #ReleaseTheReport. Join these efforts. Make the national action global.
1. Tell your representative and your senators to ensure that the report is made public, and that Congress continue their investigations until they are complete.
Hello. I am a constituent who votes in [CITY, STATE], but I currently live in [CITY, COUNTRY].
I'm calling because I'm concerned about potential suppression of the findings of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Even though the House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed the unredacted report, and even though the House UNANIMOUSLY voted for the report to be released to the public just weeks ago, we cannot allow the administration to block the release of the report in full. That means no massive redactions, and that it must be accompanied by all underlying evidence and related matters.
Furthermore, I fully support the ongoing congressional investigations beyond the scope of the Special Counsel. Regardless of what the Mueller report may reveal, the undisputed evidence — such as what the president himself has said to journalists, on video — is enough for me to know that this administration is full of rampant corruption, and I ask that these investigations be supported and completed in full. This is not a witch hunt. It’s about transparency. It’s about the American people holding the government accountable, both the administration and Congress, elected to serve OUR interests.
Thank you for your time and attention.
[Provide your full name and voting address if leaving a voicemail]
2. Record a video (via Indivisible) to tell your friends and family that you’re demanding the Mueller report be made public and that you support continuing the congressional investigations.
Find details from Indivisible here.
Be sure to tag @DemsAbroad (@DemocratsAbroad on Instagram) if you share your video!
