Washington, DC – The Interfaith Immigration Coalition and Families Belong Together rallied outside of ICE headquarters today to deliver over a quarter of a million signatures demanding ICE release all the families in its custody. The demonstrators held 260 paper dolls representing the 260 children in ICE detention facilities. After representatives from ICE refused to accept the signatures, organizers vowed to return before the end of the 10-day extension.
In between chants and remarks from organizers, demonstrators read quotes from family members in the detention centers such as the following:
“We have already been here for more than three months, my daughter doesn’t speak anymore because of the trauma she experienced, she can’t hear properly because she needs to see a specialist, and none has provided for her.” — M.E.L. (identity protected)
“Which prison in this world keeps a 3 years old toddler for no reason or a crime locked down during this worldwide pandemic. They have no right to do this to my baby. My baby is here because our lives were in danger. They have no right to keep my baby for more than 20 days, but it has been more than four months. No judge is helping us. Everything is pending, and we are still here. I want someone to hear me. We are in pain.” — M.N. (identity protected)
Paola Luisi of Families Belong Together said, “every second that these mothers, fathers, and babies spend inside these jails puts their lives at risk and spits in the face of basic human decency. Toddlers and families should never have been jailed in the first place, and to keep them there solely because ICE wants them there despite a Federal Judge describing the facilities as being “on fire” is simply inhumane. The families must be freed together immediately.”
“Today ICE closed the door on receiving the voices of over a quarter of a million U.S. neighbors who joined as doctors, lawyers, faith leaders, and community leaders to sign letters urging ICE to make the only moral choice, to release the children and their parents together from the unhealthy detention conditions that Judge Gee labelled “on fire” weeks ago. If the Hebrews under Pharaoh’s threats or Jesus’ family under Herod would have been asked to wait weeks before escaping, their lives would have been lost. So, too, is it urgent that ICE must not delay another day more to do the right thing–by releasing every child immediately, and with their parents” said Rev. Dr. Sharon Stanley-Rea, Director, Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries.
“It is shameful that ICE needs a mandate from a judge to do the humane thing and release all families – children WITH their parents – from detention. ICE continues to be an overfunded, unaccountable agency that violates the human rights of thousands of immigrants, even to the point of death. Their unacceptable behavior is even more immoral during the public health crisis of COVID-19. They must release the families immediately, and stop the cycle of detention and deportation of all migrants seeking a life with dignity in the U.S.” said Kristin Kumpf, Director of Human Migration and Mobility at American Friends Service Committee.
View a recording of the event live stream here. Still images are available here and here.
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of 55 national, faith-based organizations brought together across many theological traditions with a common call to seek just policies that lift up the God-given dignity of every individual. In partnership, we work to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of all refugees and migrants.
Follow us on Twitter @interfaithimm
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