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

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.

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.

#DefundHate Escalates Campaign to Cut Funding for ICE, CBP in 2020

March 19, 2019

Washington, D.C. — The #DefundHate coalition announced today the next phase of its national campaign to defund Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Both agencies have well-documented track records of abuse and have repeatedly thwarted oversight and accountability. CBP and ICE play a key role in Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda, and are instrumental in carrying out the militarization of border communities, devastating deportations of individuals and families, and the unconscionable detention of migrants.

Pages