Washington, DC – Today, the White House asked Congress to cover the costs of President Trump’s immigration executive orders. In addition to billions already allocated for immigration enforcement, taxpayers would be footing the bill for an extra $3 billion to fund the president’s border wall and deportation force, including more border agents and a request for 45,700 immigration detention beds in total. Silky Shah, co-director of Detention Watch Network issued the following statement in response to the administration’s request to Congress: “This is a chance for Congress to say ‘no’ to Trump’s…
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 – Mary Small, policy director of Detention Watch Network (DWN) responds to the Associated Press report that the Trump administration is considering a proposal to mobilize as many as 100,000 National Guard to act as immigration enforcement agents: “Unfortunately, the inclusion of plans to mobilize the National Guard to act as immigration enforcement agents is only one of the many deeply disturbing aspects of the draft memo that was leaked earlier today. The draft also includes details about deputizing state National Guard components to act as immigrant enforcement agents…
New York – Today, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed an appeal by private prison corporations seeking to block the release of government documents about their immigration detention practices. A federal judge ruled in July, in a case brought by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and the Detention Watch Network (DWN), that under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) the government must release details of its contracts with private prison corporations. The government chose not to appeal, but the United States’ two largest private prison corporations, the GEO Group and…
Washington, DC — In response to Trump’s executive orders on immigration Silky Shah, co-director of Detention Watch Network said: “As if it wasn’t already clear from Cabinet nominations like Jeff Sessions for Attorney General, Trump’s executive orders on immigration demonstrate what the next four years will look like — a hate-fueled attack on immigrants and people of color. With today’s executive orders, Trump not only threatens our universal values of human dignity and justice, but actively promotes xenophobia, discrimination, repression, and fear. In a move to swiftly increase the already…
Washington, DC — Confirmation hearings for the new administration begin today in rapid succession starting with Senator Jeff Sessions as Attorney General and General John F. Kelly as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. In response to today’s hearings, Silky Shah, co-director of Detention Watch Network said: “This is the first test for elected officials to actively resist cabinet picks. It’s clear with these nominees that the new administration aims to ramp up detentions and deportations, aggressively target immigrant communities, and widen the surveillance dragnet. Senator…