In response to Ravi Ragbir, longtime immigrant rights activist, receiving a presidential pardon, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network, released the following statement:
“Biden’s pardon of Ravi Ragbir is a bright spot in what has been a long and arduous road for freedom and safety. Ravi has been a longtime friend, teacher, and supporter of Detention Watch Network. He brings people together – whether over a meal, in a place of worship, or chanting on the streets, Ravi exemplifies how immigrants are deeply embedded within communities. Ravi’s pardon demonstrates that when we unite for the rights and dignity of our immigrant family members, friends, and neighbors, anything is possible. One family no longer having to live in limbo is significant – our collective action can change lives. And as we gear up for the Trump administration, we are resolute in our commitment to fight on behalf of all immigrants – everyone deserves to be safe from detention and deportation, including people who have had contact with the criminal legal system.”
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Detention Watch Network (DWN) is a national coalition building power through collective advocacy, grassroots organizing, and strategic communications to abolish immigration detention in the United States.