2020 Platform Resolutions - Civil Rights Forum
Here are Civil Rights Forum party platform resolutions. Print the ones you support and bring them with you when you caucus on Monday, February 3rd.
Issue: Separating Children of Asylum Seekers from Their Parents
| 2020_platform_resolution_-_civil_rights_-_separating_children.docx |
| 2020_platform_resolution_-_civil_rights_-_separating_children.pdf |
Whereas asylum seekers arriving at United States borders are allowed by international and United States laws to apply for asylum;
Whereas the present Administration has instituted a program separating children of asylum seekers from their parents as a way of discouraging asylum seekers from seeking asylum, particularly for people of color;
Whereas the courts have deemed separating children of asylum seekers from their parents illegal;
Whereas this draconian policy does nothing to alleviate the conditions leading to seeking asylum; and
Whereas this immoral, cruel punishment causes permanent harm to children; now, be it
Resolved that the United States government discontinue the Trump Administration policy of separating children of asylum seekers from their parents when they enter the United States.
Whereas the present Administration has instituted a program separating children of asylum seekers from their parents as a way of discouraging asylum seekers from seeking asylum, particularly for people of color;
Whereas the courts have deemed separating children of asylum seekers from their parents illegal;
Whereas this draconian policy does nothing to alleviate the conditions leading to seeking asylum; and
Whereas this immoral, cruel punishment causes permanent harm to children; now, be it
Resolved that the United States government discontinue the Trump Administration policy of separating children of asylum seekers from their parents when they enter the United States.
Issue: Restore Voting Rights to Ex-Felons in Iowa
| 2020_platform_resolution_-_civil_rights_-_voting_rights_for_ex-felons.docx |
| 2020_platform_resolution_-_civil_rights_-_voting_rights_for_ex-felons.pdf |
Whereas felony disenfranchisement is a permanent punishment for crimes with lesser periods of punishment;
Whereas people commit crimes at roughly the same rate regardless of race;
Whereas African American Iowans are arrested, tried, convicted and incarcerated at a much higher rate than white Iowans, making Iowa one of the worst states in the nation for racial disproportionality in sentencing and deprivation of the vote;
Whereas the vote is one of the strongest incentives for returning to the community and becoming involved in doing good; and
Whereas Iowa is the only state to permanently disenfranchise ex-felons; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the state of Iowa should restore voting rights to ex-felons, immediately by Executive order of the Governor, and permanently through a constitutional amendment.
Whereas people commit crimes at roughly the same rate regardless of race;
Whereas African American Iowans are arrested, tried, convicted and incarcerated at a much higher rate than white Iowans, making Iowa one of the worst states in the nation for racial disproportionality in sentencing and deprivation of the vote;
Whereas the vote is one of the strongest incentives for returning to the community and becoming involved in doing good; and
Whereas Iowa is the only state to permanently disenfranchise ex-felons; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the state of Iowa should restore voting rights to ex-felons, immediately by Executive order of the Governor, and permanently through a constitutional amendment.
Issue: Detention for Asylum Seekers
| 2020_platform_resolution_-_civil_rights_-_detention_for_asylum_seekers.docx |
| 2020_platform_resolution_-_civil_rights_-_denention_for_asylum_seekers.pdf |
Whereas both international and United States law allow people suffering persecution and threat of personal harm for their beliefs or actions to seek asylum;
Whereas asylum seekers must establish their case for asylum in a court hearing, not a court of criminal proceedings;
Whereas the history of asylum seekers shows they have not been a threat to life or property in the United States;
Whereas in the past, asylum seekers were not detained and dutifully attended their court appearances, particularly when given assistance in their native language to assure
awareness of their court dates and locations;
Whereas detaining asylum seekers is contrary to the intent of international law, and is a high expense proposition that makes the United States responsible for the care of detainees;
Whereas asylum seeking families have children, and locking up children is cruel, immoral and permanently harmful, now, be it
Resolved that
Whereas asylum seekers must establish their case for asylum in a court hearing, not a court of criminal proceedings;
Whereas the history of asylum seekers shows they have not been a threat to life or property in the United States;
Whereas in the past, asylum seekers were not detained and dutifully attended their court appearances, particularly when given assistance in their native language to assure
awareness of their court dates and locations;
Whereas detaining asylum seekers is contrary to the intent of international law, and is a high expense proposition that makes the United States responsible for the care of detainees;
Whereas asylum seeking families have children, and locking up children is cruel, immoral and permanently harmful, now, be it
Resolved that
- Asylum seekers be detained only if it can be established they pose a risk to the community.
- Asylum seeking families with children not be detained.
- Privately-owned or operated detention facilities not be used or constructed for detention of asylum seekers.
- Asylum seekers be given assistance so that they know their legal rights and when and where they should appear in immigration courts, in order to avoid costly and dangerous detention.
Issue: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
| 2020_platform_resolution_-_civil_rights_-_daca.docx |
| 2020_platform_resolution_-_civil_rights_-_daca.pdf |
Whereas the Obama Administration established the DACA program by Executive order and the Trump Administration ended the DACA program by Executive order;
Whereas DACA recipients were brought to this country by their parents at an age when
they could not participate in the decision;
Whereas United States law does not punish children for the actions of their parents;
Whereas many DACA recipients have few ties to their country of origin, often an inability to speak the language, would be immersed in a culture foreign to them and have no legal status in the country of their parents’ origin;
Whereas before entry into the DACA program the applicants were carefully vetted by the United States government to preclude criminals or other undesirables;
Whereas DACA recipients have proven to be outstanding community members, have gone on to school, joined the military, become home and business owners, paying taxes and otherwise contributing to the economic life of the community;
Whereas DACA recipients trusted the United States with their contact information when
they applied for the program, putting them as well as their parents at risk of deportation, it would be a betrayal of that trust to deport them or their parents;
Whereas similar undocumented immigrant children can no longer apply for the program now ended; now, be it
Resolved, that
1. The United States Congress establish the DACA program by law, and
a. Extend the program to those who would have been eligible if the Trump Administration
had not ended the program.
b. Provide a path to citizenship to all DACA recipients;
2. Iowa, and other states, should grant DACA recipients, and those who should have been DACA
recipients if the Trump Administration had not ended the program, access to in-state
tuition at state universities, driver's licenses, and work permits, to enable them to continue
their contributions to the United States.
Whereas DACA recipients were brought to this country by their parents at an age when
they could not participate in the decision;
Whereas United States law does not punish children for the actions of their parents;
Whereas many DACA recipients have few ties to their country of origin, often an inability to speak the language, would be immersed in a culture foreign to them and have no legal status in the country of their parents’ origin;
Whereas before entry into the DACA program the applicants were carefully vetted by the United States government to preclude criminals or other undesirables;
Whereas DACA recipients have proven to be outstanding community members, have gone on to school, joined the military, become home and business owners, paying taxes and otherwise contributing to the economic life of the community;
Whereas DACA recipients trusted the United States with their contact information when
they applied for the program, putting them as well as their parents at risk of deportation, it would be a betrayal of that trust to deport them or their parents;
Whereas similar undocumented immigrant children can no longer apply for the program now ended; now, be it
Resolved, that
1. The United States Congress establish the DACA program by law, and
a. Extend the program to those who would have been eligible if the Trump Administration
had not ended the program.
b. Provide a path to citizenship to all DACA recipients;
2. Iowa, and other states, should grant DACA recipients, and those who should have been DACA
recipients if the Trump Administration had not ended the program, access to in-state
tuition at state universities, driver's licenses, and work permits, to enable them to continue
their contributions to the United States.
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