Today kicks off a week of voting where Congress will mark up, debate, and vote on a bill to give $70 billion more to ice and Border Patrol with no strings attached.
This isn’t a drill. Without our immediate action, ice and Border Patrol will continue brutalizing our communities with no accountability.
Here’s a reminder of what’s at stake:
- Federal agents have shot and killed people in the street, including Renee Good and Alex Pretti, with no legal consequences
- ice agents have used pepper spray and tear gas against children as young as one year old
- Hundreds of reports from people detained have revealed horrifying sexual and physical violence against immigrants
- ice is still spending taxpayer dollars to lock people in overcrowded detention centers known for medical neglect and denial of basic legal rights
- This year alone, at least 18 people have died in ice custody
Our elected officials’ votes this week will decide where this country goes with immigration enforcement – whether we finally rein in the abuse perpetrated by these federal agencies, or if we give a green light to continued racial profiling, violence against children and families, and an all-out human rights catastrophe for immigrants and anyone in ice custody.
With thanks for all you do,
Kate Voigt
Pronouns: She, her, hers
Senior Policy Counsel, ACLU
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA