Washington, DC — In response to the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas to Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security under the Biden administration, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network offered the following statement:
“As President-elect Biden begins to name his cabinet, including the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas to Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Detention Watch Network reiterates our vision of a world without immigration detention, where every person has the right to move and live freely without fear of being separated from their loved ones or displaced from their home.
Mayorkas has the opportunity to make the next four years about dismantling an immigration enforcement system rooted in white supremacy and xenophobia, and create a more just and equitable society for immigrants. This administration must avoid the punitive approach of previous administrations and uphold rather than compromise the rights of immigrants. The administration must stop the criminalization of immigrants. Mayorkas should work swiftly and decisively on behalf of the dignity and rights of all immigrants by taking steps to dismantle ICE, including massive cuts in the agency’s budget, the immediate shut down of detention facilities, and release of people from detention back to their families and communities.”
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Detention Watch Network (DWN) is a national coalition of organizations and individuals working to expose and challenge the injustices of the United States’ immigration detention and deportation system and advocate for profound change that promotes the rights and dignity of all persons. Founded in 1997 by immigrant rights groups, DWN brings together advocates to unify strategy and build partnerships on a local and national level to end immigration detention. Visit detentionwatchnetwork.org. Follow on Twitter @DetentionWatch.