ICE Policy Denies Bond Hearings and Due Process
I write with deep concern over the July 8 policy change by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which strips millions of undocumented immigrants of their right to bond hearings during deportation proceedings. This abrupt shift denies long-time U.S. residents access to a judge and replaces judicial review with parole decisions made solely at ICE’s discretion.
The Washington Post reports this policy now applies far beyond recent border crossers, affecting immigrants who have lived in the United States for years. Many will be forced to remain in detention indefinitely, without any court oversight. This raises serious due process concerns and directly contradicts long-standing principles of fair treatment under U.S. law.
Unjust Detention Conditions Will Worsen
Reports already document overcrowded, inhumane detention facilities where detainees sleep on floors and lack medical care. Removing access to bond hearings will make these conditions worse and expand the scope of indefinite detention. Detainees will have no meaningful way to contest their imprisonment, and many may remain jailed for months or years without charges or hearings.
Congressional Oversight and Legislative Action Are Needed
I urge you to take swift, public, and legislative action in response to this policy.
1. Condemn the policy publicly as an attack on due process, liberty, and human dignity.
2. Hold public hearings to investigate how ICE’s reinterpretation of parole authority bypasses judicial review and violates statutory protections.
3. Introduce and support legislation to ensure all immigration detainees receive timely bond hearings before a judge, and to curtail ICE’s authority to detain without independent oversight.
The Constitution Requires a Response
This policy is an unjustified expansion of executive power and a direct threat to constitutional values. I urge you to oppose it forcefully, and to act now to uphold the rights and protections that our nation claims to guarantee.
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