To: Governors of the United States

Governors: Stop Your Collective Punishment of Refugees in Need

We say no to collective punishment, and we say yes to refugees. Welcoming refugees was the right thing to do before the Paris and Beirut attacks and it's still the right thing to do. We must not be consumed by fear at this time.

Why is this important?

We are all horrified by the terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut, and other parts of the world, and mourn the loss of innocent lives. But an increasing number of reactionary governors across the U.S. have used these tragedies to announce that they will stop all acceptance of Syrian refugees.

We stand against this collective and cruel punishment of refugees. These individuals are escaping the very same terrorism that the world has witnessed in Paris and Beirut. Syrians have been killed by the thousands, millions have been displaced, and their entire livelihoods destroyed by the likes of ISIS and the Assad regime.

The United States must be steadfast in its commitment to remain a sanctuary for refugees fleeing political and religious persecution—from all across the world.

We demand these governors stop using their hatred and xenophobia to shut out Syrian refugees who are in dire need of normalcy and safety. We call on these governors to refrain from making decisions rooted in misinformation and fear.

Let us remember the words etched on the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of a long tradition of welcoming immigrants, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"