1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to restore bond hearings for individuals in ICE custody and ensure full funding for immigration courts in any Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill. The denial of bond hearings violates fundamental constitutional protections and creates an inhumane system that detains people indefinitely without judicial review. The Constitution guarantees due process to all persons within United States jurisdiction, regardless of immigration status. Bond hearings are a critical component of this protection, allowing individuals to present evidence about their ties to the community, family circumstances, and reasons they do not pose a flight risk or danger. Without these hearings, people remain detained for months or years while their cases proceed, separated from their families and unable to work with their attorneys to prepare their defense. The current system is both unconstitutional and impractical. Immigration courts face massive backlogs that delay justice for everyone involved. Mandatory detention without bond hearings exacerbates this crisis by keeping detention facilities overcrowded while cases languish. This approach wastes taxpayer resources on unnecessary detention when many individuals could safely remain in their communities with appropriate supervision while awaiting their hearings. I am asking you to publicly advocate for the restoration of bond hearings for all individuals in immigration proceedings and to ensure that any DHS funding legislation includes robust appropriations for immigration courts. This means funding to hire and retain sufficient immigration judges, support staff, and interpreters to handle the current caseload efficiently. Our immigration system cannot function justly without adequate judicial resources. Due process is not a privilege reserved for citizens. It is a constitutional guarantee that applies to everyone on American soil. I expect you to defend this principle vigorously and ensure our immigration system respects the rule of law. Please inform me of the specific actions you will take to address this urgent matter.