Presente | President Biden and Members of Congress: End the Criminalization of Migrants, #FreedomForAll!
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President Biden and Members of Congress: End the Criminalization of Migrants, #FreedomForAll!

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    The Message

    Dear Biden/Harris Administration and Congress,

    Freedom is a fundamental human right for all. But right now, an average of 50,000 people are held in detention centers every day. Despite the claims of anti-immigrant politicians and agencies, detention does nothing for U.S. security and, on top of the vast human rights abuses occurring in detention facilities, it is a waste of at least $1.8 billion annually. These funds could be better spent on investing in immigrant communities including legal counsel, housing, health, transportation, education, and other programs to support immigrant families. Through the #FreedomForAll campaign, we urge you to recognize that people who migrate have the right to seek protection and regularize their immigration status, without being detained or locked up.

    We urge you to act swiftly to enact policies that achieve freedom for immigrant and Latinx communities who are disproportionately impacted by criminalization and mass incarceration, including:
    •  Abolish immigration detention and defund private prisons. This includes other programs that violate people's right to privacy, such as shackling, ankle monitors, facial recognition, and geolocation tracking.
    • Use the DHS budget for detention beds to fund a universal legal representation program that provides legal representation to all immigrants.
    • President Biden should update an executive order to end the use of private prisons for all people in federal criminal custody, including detention centers.
    • Prohibit the use of COVID-19 relief funds for jail or prison construction, or police budgets.

    Sincerely,

    [signer]

    Freedom is a fundamental human right for all. But right now, an average of 50,000 people are held in detention centers every day.1 Despite the claims of anti-immigrant politicians and agencies, detention does nothing2 for U.S. security3 and, on top of the vast human rights abuses occurring in detention facilities, it is a waste of at least $1.8 billion annually.4 These funds could be better spent on investing in immigrant communities including legal counsel, housing, health, transportation, education, and other programs to support immigrant families. Through the #FreedomForAll campaign, we urge you to recognize that people who migrate have the right to seek protection and regularize their immigration status, without being detained or locked up.

    References:

    1. “Immigration Detention 101.” Detention Watch Network. October 28, 2021.
    2. Helbling, Mark. Daniel Meierrieks. “Terrorism and Migration: An Overview.” Cambridge University Press. December 17, 2020.
    3. Flagg, Anna. “Is There a Connection Between Undocumented Immigrants and Crime.” The Marshall Project. May 13, 2019.
    4. “FY 2022 Budget in Brief.” Department of Homeland Security.
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