Pressroom

Washington, DC — In response to Trump’s hate-filled speech today on immigration, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network issued the following statement:

“Today, Trump furthered his manufactured crisis at the border narrative driven by white nationalism and race based fear-mongering. In his speech, Trump previewed two devastating shifts: the unraveling of the asylum system and a massive ramp up of indefinite immigration detention in the form of tent cities.

Washington, DC — Today, Detention Watch Network launched a new campaign, #CommunitiesNotCages, aimed at halting the massive expansion of the immigration detention system. With nearly 44,000 immigrants being held daily in a network of over 200 detention centers across the country, the #CommunitiesNotCages campaign amplifies the longstanding local organizing of Detention Watch Network members and advocates across the country, while building a nationally coordinated strategy to stop the expansion and ultimately abolish immigration detention in its entirety.  

Washington, DC — Today it was announced that Mike Pompeo unilaterally approved the transfer of State Department funds to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to increase funding for Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda.

Mary Small, Policy Director of Detention Watch Network, issued the following statement:

Washington, DC — Yesterday, Congress reached a budget deal to fund the federal government through December 7, avoiding a shutdown. Noticeably absent from the continuing resolution package was a last minute request by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), known as an ‘anomaly,’ to increase funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to further expand the immigration detention system.

Gabriela Benitez, Senior Organizer of Detention Watch Network issued the following statement: