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

Biden/Harris Administration and Congress

Breakdown Walls

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 nothing[2] for U.S. security[3] 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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To: Biden/Harris Administration and Congress
From: [Your Name]

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.

- The U.S. government must invest at least $400 million as part of the Department of Justice (DOJ) budget for a universal legal representation program that provides legal counsel for all migrants facing deportation.

- 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,