Senator Bob MenendezVerified account

The President should learn from—not punish—those eager to help get the facts about the reality at the border, listen to their stories, feel their despair, see the fear of those families seeking refuge in our country—and stand-up for our values. This is shameful.https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1103906211450126337 …

10 million children in the U.S. live in poverty—and many come from families that can't afford their basic needs. That's why I’m excited to cosponsor the #AmericanFamilyAct with my colleagues @MichaelBennett & @SenSherrodBrown, so we can break the vicious cycle of poverty.https://twitter.com/voxdotcom/status/1103977418694508545 …

This is just a snapshot of the brave women who dare to speak up for fundamental rights. So on #IWD19, as we reflect on the achievements of women, and reflect on the work that remains to be done, I call on all of us to redouble our efforts to free women #politicalprisoners.

In #Eritrea, Aster Fissehatsion has been held incommunicado without charge or trial since September 2001. Her whereabouts, 17 years later, are still not known. She was arrested together with 10 other members of a group of political dissidents known as the Group of 15.

#China has also targeted Tibetan #Buddhist nuns. The government expelled thousands of nuns from Larung Gar in Sichuan. Their homes were demolished; they were barred from entering other monasteries, and faced detention, harassment and abuse. #IWD19

#China is responsible for some of the worst #humanrights abuses, including the imprisonment of #Uighur women in detention camps. These women are forced to renounce their Muslim religion and Uighur language. Forced labor, torture and death are common. #IWD19

In #Egypt, Hanan Badr el-Din, a human rights defender and co-founder of the Families of the Forcibly Disappeared Association, was detained on May 6, 2017 at Qanatar prison while visiting an individual who had been forcibly disappeared. #IWD19

In the #Philippines, Senator Leila de Lima, a brave champion of #humanrights, has been one of the only leaders bold enough to oppose President Duterte’s “war on drugs” and has faced prolonged arbitrary detention. #IWD19

In #SaudiArabia, multiple female activists have been in prison without charges: Loujain al-Hathloul, Aziza al-Yousef, Eman al-Nafjan, Nouf Abdelaziz, Mayaa al-Zahrani, Samar Badawi, Nassima al-Saada, Hatoon al-Fassi, Shadan al-Onezi, and Amal al-Harbi. #IWD19

Since it’s #IWD19, I want to highlight a tiny fraction of the countless number of women & girls held behind bars unjustly. The repressive governments detaining them are just SOME of the governments around the world that lock up women for exercising their fundamental freedoms...