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

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Government Transparency Against Private Prison Corporations

October 10, 2017

Today, the Supreme Court denied a petition by private prison corporations seeking to block the release of government documents about their immigration detention practices. In a case brought by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and Detention Watch Network (DWN), under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), a federal district court ruled in July 2016, that the government must release details of its contracts with private prison corporations.

Immigrant rights group rejects Trump’s Immigration Principles

October 9, 2017

Washington, DC — Executive Director of Detention Watch Network, Silky Shah responds to Trump’s ‘immigration principles’:

“In yet another attack on immigrants, Trump’s nativist ‘immigration principles’ are dangerously draconian. If implemented they would jeopardize the lives of hundreds of thousands of families and further erode democratic values.

We reject Trump's plan to use DACA recipients as bait to pull Congress into a negotiation built on a nativist and white supremacist agenda.

Trump’s egregious ‘immigration principles’ calls for:

Representatives Smith and Jayapal Introduce Legislation to Reform Deeply Flawed Immigration Detention System

October 3, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) introduced the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, legislation to reform the systemic problems in our immigration detention system.

Immigrant Rights Group denounces ICE retaliation against sanctuary cities with sweeping nationwide raid

September 29, 2017

Washington, DC — Detention Watch Network denounces Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) operation ‘Safe City’ that targeted sanctuary cities with nationwide raids impacting nearly 500 individuals, their families and their communities.

The following is a statement by Danny Cendejas, Organizing Director of Detention Watch Network:

Trump Plans Massive Raids on Immigrant Communities Starting Mid-September

September 7, 2017

Washington, DC — Detention Watch Network (DWN), the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), National Immigration Law Center, United We Dream (UWD) and the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) condemn Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) plan to conduct a nationwide immigration enforcement operation from mid- to late-September.

Trump planea redadas masivas en comunidades inmigrantes a partir de mediados de septiembre

September 7, 2017

Washington DC – Detention Watch Network (DWN), el Centro Nacional de Justicia de Inmigrantes (NIJC), el Centro Nacional de Derecho de Inmigración, United We Dream (UWD) y la Comisión de Refugiados de Mujeres (WRC) condenan el plan de Inmigración y Aduanas (ICE) que pretende llevar a acabo una operación nacional migratoria a mediados o fin de septiembre.

DWN Condemns End of DACA

September 5, 2017

Washington, DC — Today Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The following is a statement by Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network:

“Trump’s decision to end DACA is unconscionable. Trump has wielded countless attacks on immigrants, and today’s announcement is further proof that his white supremacist and nativist administration has no restraint when it comes to tearing apart families and upending lives.

Immigrant rights activists urge members of Congress to oppose anti-immigrant funding as Trump’s remarks up the ante on upcoming  budget negotiations

August 23, 2017

Washington, DC — With just two weeks left until members of Congress return to DC to vote on Trump’s funding proposal, last night’s campaign style rally in Arizona stoked the flames of upcoming funding negotiations. Trump threatened to shut down the government if he does not receive money for the border wall, demonstrating yet again the high stakes showdown slated to take place in September.

The following is a statement by Mary Small, Policy Director for Detention Watch Network:

Rights Groups Call for Transparency and Accountability in Latest ICE Detention Death

June 14, 2017

New York, NY — Immigrant rights organizations, Center for Constitutional Rights, Queer Detainee Empowerment Project (QDEP), Families for Freedom, Immigrant Defense Project (IDP), and Detention Watch Network (DWN) are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Carlos Mejia-Bonilla. Mejia-Bonilla, 44, died on Saturday while in the custody of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This tragedy marks the 10th death to occur in ICE detention since the start of the fiscal year.

Hunger Strikers Overcome Brutal Retaliation, Persevering into their Second Day

June 13, 2017

Adelanto, CA – It has now been 31 hours since nine individuals, known as the #Adelanto9, began a hunger strike at the Adelanto Detention Center in California yesterday morning. Within hours of refusing to eat food or drink water, the #Adelanto9 reported that they were drenched with pepper spray, beaten and transferred into a high security area by GEO Group (GEO) guards, the notorious private prison company that operates the facility. 

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