1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

I am writing as your constituent from Winston-Salem to demand transparency and accountability regarding reports that the American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro is being considered as a potential ICE detention or migrant detention facility. While I do not live in Greensboro, I am deeply opposed to any ICE detention center being established anywhere in North Carolina. The use of facilities in our state for immigration detention is unacceptable. These detention centers tear families apart, traumatize children, and undermine the values that should define our communities across North Carolina. Our state should not participate in a system that causes such profound harm to vulnerable people, many of whom are seeking refuge and safety. I am particularly concerned about the lack of public information on this matter. If discussions about converting the American Hebrew Academy into a detention facility are happening behind closed doors, that represents a fundamental failure of democratic governance. North Carolina residents deserve to know what is being planned in our state and have the opportunity to weigh in before any decisions are made. The moral and practical implications of hosting an ICE detention center affect all of us. Such facilities bring increased federal law enforcement presence into our communities, create fear among immigrant families who are our neighbors and coworkers, and associate North Carolina with policies that separate children from parents. This is not who we are. I am calling on you to take three specific actions. First, demand complete transparency about any communications, negotiations, or agreements related to ICE detention facilities in Greensboro or anywhere else in North Carolina. Second, hold state and local leadership accountable for any discussions that have occurred without public input. Third, make a clear public commitment that North Carolina will not participate in ICE detention or enforcement activities. I expect you to listen to community concerns across our state and take a firm stand against bringing ICE detention to North Carolina.