Congress: Demand Oversight on DHS Detention Camps: Uphold Human Rights

Today I take pen in hand to write and urge closer oversight, by Congressional task force, of the immigration detention facilities now in operation and the ones shortly to open. The rampant civil rights abuses, and unlawful means by which ICE is detaining people under little more than quotas, must be held in check. Congress must also demand hearings and accountability on these detentions from DHS. So far, the pattern has been intentional withholding of information by the administration. This, paired with ICE’s culture of secrecy is yet another hallmark of an authoritarian regime, disappearing people and putting lives in jeopardy. ICE is currently detaining a record-breaking 59,000 people, subjecting them to inhumane conditions and violating their constitutional rights. The administration's proposed massive expansion of immigration detention to detain over 100,000 people, is planned as part of the budget increase in H.R. 1, would only exacerbate these abuses and provide a lucrative payoff to private prison companies with close ties to officials. As representatives of the people, you have a legal and moral obligation to conduct in-person oversight visits to these facilities. These visits are critical to exposing the inherent inhumanity and widespread mistreatment in the immigration detention system. Our communities have a right to know how their taxpayer dollars are being used to fund the Trump administration’s cruel agenda. Your constituents don’t want ICE agents or detention centers operating with impunity in their communities while taxpayer dollars are used not to help, but intentionally support ICE’s Police State Tactics. I urge bold action through facility inspections, information demands, and strategic legislative interventions to block unacceptable policies like the proposed budget increase. We must prevent further human rights violations. This isn’t America otherwise. Thank you for your attention to this matter.