Pressroom

Washington, DC — In response to the introduction of the U.S. Citizenship Act, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network offered the following statement: “In order to achieve transformative change for immigrant communities we must center freedom, fairness and opportunity for all. The U.S Citizenship Act is a welcome first step in addressing the bigotry and cruelty entrenched in our immigration system. However, we need the Biden administration to undo the longstanding and pervasive criminalization of our immigrant family members, friends, coworkers and neighbors and take steps to…

Washington, DC — In response to President Biden’s executive orders on immigration today, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network offered the following statement: “While we are encouraged that the administration is prioritizing immigration as shown again by today’s executive orders, there is a critical priority that has yet to be addressed on immigration: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deadly and inhumane detention system. Dignity, freedom, and opportunity should be at the core of our immmigration system, but our existing system does not uphold these values, instead…

Lumpkin, Georgia — Immigrants’ rights organizations El Refugio, Georgia Detention Watch, Project South and Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR) in Georgia and Detention Watch Network are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Felix Montes de Oca, 57, while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Stewart Detention Center. Montes died due to COVID-19 related complications. His death marks the fourth time a person has died after contracting COVID-19 at the Georgia facility and the ninth death to occur in ICE custody due to COVID-19 complications. As of…

Washington, DC — In response to President Biden’s executive order on eliminating the use of private prisons, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network offered the following statement: “We are encouraged that the Biden administration’s Department of Justice is prioritizing phasing out the use of private prisons — a decision that was made too late in the Obama administration and was immediately reversed by Trump. The engine of the US mass incarceration system runs on perverse financial incentives, and the private prison industry is one of the most notorious profiteers in the…

Washington, DC — Detention Watch Network and Freedom for Immigrants delivered a letter to the Biden-Harris administration on behalf of 215 immigrant and human rights groups demanding President Biden address the spread of COVID-19 inside immigration detention by releasing everyone within the administration’s first 100 days. Although the White House has released policy directives pausing most deportations and limiting enforcement, these memos fall short of ensuring the release of everyone from immigration detention and ending deportations—actions advocates view as critical to ensuring the health…

Washington, DC — In response to internal emails by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Houston Field Office stating to 'release them all' per Biden’s deportations moratorium memo, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network offered the following comment: “If anything this shows that ICE & DHS actually have broad authority to release people back to their loved ones, community and support networks. Immigration detention has always been an arbitrary, inhumane and unjust system. Simply put, people navigating their immigration case should be able to do so with their families…

Washington, DC — In response to President Biden’s memorandum directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct a review of policies and practices concerning immigration enforcement which includes interim enforcement priorities and a 100-day moratorium on deportations, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network offered the following statement: “It’s important that we applaud this moment. The relentless advocacy of the immigrant justice movement made deportations pause for 100 days as people across the country have been organizing, speaking out and uniting to protect…

Washington, DC — In response to President Biden’s day one agenda on immigration, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network offered the following statement: “Biden’s day one bill and executive orders on immigration policy are a welcome departure from the racism and xenophobia of the Trump era. For years, people across the country have been demanding transformative change to protect immigrant family members, friends, coworkers and neighbors, and today the Biden administration took a significant first step to fundamentally transform the government’s approach to immigration. Today…

Washington, DC — In response to the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network offered the following statement: “After four years of an administration that promoted white supremacy, xenophobia, hate and most recently incited an attempted coup at the Capitol, we welcome the opportunity for a more just society under a Biden administration. It is paramount that the Biden administration take swift and decisive executive action to address the harms caused by the Trump administration and to begin to undo the…

Washington, DC — Right now there are 15,415 people in immigration detention — the lowest number since 1999 when there were 17,772 people. However, this number does not reflect immigrant rights advocates’ resolute demands to free all people from detention, nor public outcry over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s unjust and fundamentally flawed system. Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network issued the following statement outlining the state of immigration detention and demanding President-elect Joe Biden continue to reduce the number of people in immigration…