- United States
- Neb.
- Letter
Where is 19–year-old Merwil Gutierrez? He’s in Bukele’s prison.
Who is Merwil? He’s a Venezuelan immigrant snatched off the streets by ICE. He was in the U.S. legally, no criminal record, no tattoos, no gang ties. Not even the right target. Just a man who had the right skin color.
And now he’s gone with no chance of recovery.
Did you know that anyone on U.S. soil has a constitutional right to due process, regardless of their citizenship status, and whether they are here legally or illegally? The Supreme Court justices know. Every lawyer in the United States knows. I know. I’m sure you know. And Trump knows.
But he doesn’t care.
We are officially a country that abducts and deports legal immigrants, then sends them to die in a U.S.-funded extra-national for-profit prison. After listening to Monday’s presser, we’re on the cusp of being a country that sends its own citizens- Americans - to Bukele’s prison, without a whisper of due process.
Respectfully, it’s time for you to speak up.
Please cast aside your political ambitions, your worry about losing your job, your fear of retaliation or retribution - whatever is holding you back.
Please stand up for our Constitution. Please publicly acknowledge that this is wrong. It’s immoral, unconstitutional, unethical, illegal. Please demand an end to this unlawfulness.
Please speak up for the people who are illegally imprisoned. Please speak up for the “homegrowns” - me, my family, my friends, my colleagues, your friends and foes, your family, your constituents.
