Oppose cruel expansion of mandatory immigration detention

The Laken Riley Act represents an extreme expansion of mandatory immigration detention that will sweep thousands of people into jails and detention centers, including children, DREAMers, parents of U.S. citizen children, and longtime community members accused of minor, nonviolent offenses decades ago. This harmful legislation offers no real solutions to improve our immigration system. Instead, it will authorize the largest increase in mandatory detention in decades at immense financial cost while doing nothing to make us safer. The government already has expansive authority to detain people pending deportation proceedings when warranted. Mandating detention as retaliation for accusations like shoplifting years ago is cruel and unjustified scapegoating. Our immigration policies should uphold due process and human rights, not subject more people to inhumane detention conditions. I urge you to oppose this misguided, expensive legislation that will only bring more chaos and cruelty without addressing the core issues within our immigration system.