Pressroom

Our latest press releases on important news and events relating to immigration detention in the United States

For media inquiries contact: media@detentionwatchnetwork.org

Japanese Americans to protest the detention of migrant children at Ft Sill Oklahoma

June 14, 2019

Washington, DC -- In response to the news that the Trump administration will be using Fort Sill, a U.S. Army base once used as an internment camp for Japanese Americans during World War II, to detain up to 1,400 immigrant children, Tsuru For Solidarity, Detention Watch Network, Densho and ACLU Oklahoma announced the following peaceful protest event at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and issued the following statements:

Dr. Satsuki Ina, co-chair of Tsuru For Solidarity said:

DHS Appropriations Bill Falls Short of Defunding Hate

June 13, 2019

Washington, DC — In response to the FY2020 markup of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Bill, the Defund Hate coalition released the following statement:

Advocates demand answers and justice amid latest loss of life in ICE custody

June 3, 2019

El Paso, Texas — The Detained Migrant Solidarity Committee (DMSC) and Detention Watch Network are demanding an immediate investigation and public release of the findings related to the death of a transgender asylum seeking woman, Johana Medina Leon. Leon, 25, died on June 1 while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after being detained at the Otero County Processing Center in El Paso, Texas.

Trump Administration: 80,000 people in ICE and CBP detention facilities

May 31, 2019

Washington, DC — On a press call today, the Trump Administration shockingly released new details on the unprecedented growth of the immigration detention apparatus, revealing that the U.S. government is now collectively detaining 80,000 people.

Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network, issued the following statement in response:

“The United States is grossly obsessed with incarceration, and there is no more horrifying proponent of a system designed to strip brown and black people of their dignity than Trump.

52,000 people in detention as Congressional Leadership meets over DHS funding

May 22, 2019

Washington, DC — This week Congressional leaders are negotiating over supplemental funding for accounts across the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). While there is bipartisan support for much-needed relief for disaster-affected communities, Congress is also weighing support for an expansion of the detention and deportation system.

DWN denounces the use of DOD facilities to expand ICE detention

May 16, 2019

Washington, DC — In response to the news that the Department of Defense is colluding with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to expand the immigration detention system with six tent detention camps to house 7,500 migrants, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network, issued the following statement:

Second death in Arizona detention centers in just a month as Trump looks to expand the system through an expedited funding request

May 7, 2019

Phoenix, AZ — Detention Watch Network, Indivisible Project and Faith in Action’s immigrants’ rights program, LA RED are demanding an immediate investigation and public release of the findings related to the death of Simratpal Singh. Singh, 21, died on May 3 while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after being detained at the La Paz County Jail.

Defund Hate Coalition Rejects Calls for Additional ICE and CBP Funding

May 1, 2019

Washington, DC — Today the Trump Administration sent Congress a $4.5 billion supplemental funding package. The expedited funding request, to increase resources yet again for this fiscal year, will expand the already massive immigration enforcement apparatus that tears apart families, further militarizes our southern border, and violates human rights with impunity.

The Defund Hate Coalition issued the following statement urging Congress to reject the supplemental funding:

Barr’s decision is the latest move to massively expand deadly immigration detention

April 17, 2019

Washington, DC—In response to U.S. Attorney General William Barr’s ruling to thwart asylum seekers right to bond, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network, issued the following statement:

“Cloaked in a bureaucratic process change, this is an all out assault in the Trump Administration’s war on immigrants. Barr’s decision to deny many asylum seekers the opportunity to ask for bond will lead to a massive increase in indefinite immigration detention.

ICE actively hides information regarding the death of a 27 year old in immigration detention

April 10, 2019

Adelanto, CA — Detention Watch Network and the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice are demanding an immediate investigation and public release of the findings related to the death of José Ibarra Bucio. Ibarra Bucio, 27, died on February 7 while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after being detained at the Adelanto Detention Center. Two months later, ICE has yet to publicly report any details on Ibarra Bucio’s tragic death.

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