Our latest press releases on important news and events relating to immigration detention in the United States
For media inquiries contact: media@detentionwatchnetwork.org
Washington, DC — Detention Watch Network (DWN) condemns Trump’s presidential proclamation to unlawfully ban migrants from long-standing asylum protections as the latest attack in his anti-immigrant arsenal.
Mary Small, Policy Director of DWN issued the following statement:
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.
Seattle, WA — NWDC Resistance, Detention Watch Network, and the Coalition of Anti-Racist Whites filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, October 23rd asking the federal court in the Western District of Washington to stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) unconstitutional policy of retaliating against undocumented immigrants engaged in First Amendment-protected advocacy in support of immigrants’ rights.
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:
Stockton, California — Today, immigrant rights activists, community leaders and people who have been directly affected by the immigrant detention system gathered for a rally and press conference to call attention to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to jail 1,600 immigrants.
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:
Washington, DC — Immigrants, faith leaders and advocates from the #DefundHate coalition will gather in the offices of Senator Schumer and Senator Shelby to deliver over 60,000 signatures collected by CREDO, AFSC, and members of the coalition calling for Congress to stop funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). With chants, prayers and stories from those who have been harmed by ICE, participants will call on the Senate to take action. The event will take place on Tuesday, September 11 at 11:00 am in the Senators’ offices.
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.
