Pressroom

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:

One-hundred and seventy five immigrant and civil rights organizations sent a letter today to congressional appropriators urging them to reject the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) latest request for new funding to further expand the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention system.

Washington, DC — The #DefundHate Coalition recommends that the House Appropriations Committee vote NO next week on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) FY19 appropriations bill that was introduced on Thursday by the Subcommittee on Homeland Security of the House Appropriations Committee.

This measure includes increased funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to target, incarcerate, and tear families apart, and $5 billion to build 200 miles of new and harmful border walls.

Washington, D.C. — The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) and Detention Watch Network welcome today’s report from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), holding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accountable for its failed detention inspections system. One ICE employee told OIG investigators it is “very, very, very difficult to fail” inspections, and another called the inspections “useless.”