1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

Diverting funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to construct immigrant detention centers is a grave misuse of resources intended for disaster relief and emergency response. The $608 million program announced by FEMA enables states to build temporary facilities for detaining migrants, essentially promoting the expansion of an inhumane and unjust immigration detention system. This policy directly contradicts FEMA's core mission of preparing for and mitigating the impact of natural and human-caused disasters. Immigrant detention centers, often criticized for their poor living conditions and human rights violations, should not be equated with legitimate emergency shelters or services. Prioritizing the incarceration of vulnerable populations over providing aid during crises is a misplaced allocation of vital funds. Moreover, the decision to establish facilities like Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz" at an estimated annual cost of $450 million exemplifies the disproportionate investment in criminalizing immigration rather than addressing its root causes or pursuing humane alternatives. This approach not only drains resources from essential emergency preparedness efforts but also propagates the dehumanization of immigrants and undermines the principles of a just and compassionate society. I urge you to reconsider this misguided policy and redirect FEMA's funding towards its intended purpose of protecting lives and communities during emergencies, irrespective of immigration status. A compassionate and responsible approach to immigration requires addressing the complex underlying issues through comprehensive reform, not the indiscriminate expansion of a flawed and inhumane detention system at the expense of public safety and humanitarian concerns.