As a constituent I urge you to do everything in your power to shut down the family detention centers. Children are not criminals and should not be imprisoned. Every day in detention robs a child of a day of healthy development.
I was heartbroken by the story of five-year-old Liam Ramos in his little bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack arrested by ICE with his father. I was outraged when I learned of the conditions he faces now in family detention.
I urge you to visit the detention center in Dilley, Texas and to witness and bring attention to the inhumane conditions there.
The testimonies from inside these detention centers expose deeply disturbing realities - adults and children fighting over scarce water, inadequate medical attention for serious conditions, and intense psychological trauma. Locking up vulnerable people, many of whom are legally seeking asylum, is both unjust and inhumane. We cannot allow policies that inflict such harm on innocent families.