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

Defund Hate Coalition Rejects President’s Undemocratic Money Grab to Fund a Harmful Border Wall

February 15, 2019

Washington, DC — The Defund Hate Coalition issued the following statement in response to President Trump declaring a national emergency to funnel billions more tax dollars to build more wall on the southern U.S. border:

Impacted Lives, Not Just Detention Beds

February 13, 2019

Washington, DC — In response to the proposed bill to avert another government shutdown, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network, issued the following statement:

#DefundHate Coalition’s Call Remains: Cut Funds to ICE and CBP

February 12, 2019

Washington, DC — Last night, details of an agreement by the conference committee emerged that show potential increases to the deportation forces of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), including the building of 55 miles of border wall and a massive expansion of immigration detention.

Members of the #DefundHate Coalition Demand ICE Accountability for Massive Increase in Immigrant Detention

February 11, 2019

Washington, DC — Amidst delicate negotiations in Congress over funding, ICE continues to rapidly increase the number of people it is locking up in its prison system, now standing at an astonishing 48,747 people per day, up more than 40 percent since Trump came into office.

ICE officials throw El Paso hunger strikers into solitary confinement after altercation over force-feeding, says attorney

February 8, 2019

El Paso, Texas — The nine Sikh asylum seekers on hunger strike in the El Paso Service Processing Center (EPSPC) have been thrown into solitary confinement after refusing to be force-fed standing up, reports their attorney after speaking with a family member. Immigrant rights advocates, civil rights organizations, and local community groups are deeply alarmed by this latest development involving the nine Sikh asylum seekers who have been on hunger strike for more than 40 days to protest their incarceration at the EPSPC.

Trump used the State of the Union as yet another depraved call for the administration’s anti-immigrant agenda

February 5, 2019

Washington, DC — In response to Trump’s fear-mongering and divisive State of the Union address, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network, issued the following statement:

It’s not just about the wall

February 1, 2019

Washington, DC — This week, some Democratic members of the conference committee opened the door to further enable Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda with a proposal to increase Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) budget by $396 million and Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) budget by $278 million. The proposal comes as Congress is negotiating a way to fund the government after February 15 or face another Trump imposed shutdown.

Disappointed by the initial proposal, the #DefundHate Coalition released the following statement:

Once Congress votes to end Trump’s unnecessary shutdown, they must do 3 things

January 25, 2019

Washington, DC — Today, Trump ended his self-imposed government shutdown that caused immense harm to hundreds of thousands of federal workers, contractors, and people reliant on critical government programs. The move by Trump occured after mass mobilizations across the country called for the end of his game to hold the government hostage in an effort to bankroll his harmful, ineffective border wall and anti-immigrant agenda.   

Members of the Defund Hate Coalition issued the following statement:

Immigrant lives are not bargaining chips

January 19, 2019

Washington, DC — In response to Trump’s proposal to exchange massive increases in border wall funding for temporary protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, Mary Small, Policy Director of Detention Watch Network:

As Trump Takes Hate Speech to the Southern Border, Defund Hate Coalition Calls on Congress to Stand With Communities and Deny Funding for Immigration Detention and Enforcement System

January 10, 2019

With thousands of federal workers on the cusp of a missed paycheck, President Trump staged a televised meeting today in McAllen, Texas, where he and members of his administration repeated the same hateful anti-immigrant rhetoric he has used since his candidacy to attempt to justify a federal government shutdown already taking a toll on American families and communities.

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