Pressroom

Our latest press releases on important news and events relating to immigration detention in the United States

For media inquiries contact: media@detentionwatchnetwork.org

Open Statement to the Biden Administration: Detention is not an effective or humane response to people seeking safety at the border and it must not be expanded

May 8, 2023

Washington, DC – Today, 233 organizations sent an open statement to President Biden demanding the administration make good on its commitments to never detain families, to end privatized immigration detention, and ensure that people seeking safety can pursue their cases while living in communities in the United States rather than being subjected to inhumane detention and surveillance.

The administration should end Title 42 without relying on immigration detention and surveillance

May 8, 2023

Washington, DC – This week, the Biden administration will finally end Title 42, a racist border closure and expulsion policy that targeted immigrants seeking safety and forced them into dangerous conditions under the guise of public health. As the harmful policy ends, advocates are sounding the alarm that the administration must end Title 42 without relying on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immigration detention and surveillance. 

More states join the growing consensus to end immigration detention

March 14, 2023

Nationwide  — When the COVID-19 pandemic began, immigrant rights advocates raised the alarm over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) putting the lives of people in detention at even more risk. As the federal government declares this public health emergency over, calls are intensifying for the Biden administration to address an array of cruel immigration detention practices and policies.  Local communities across the country are proposing state legislation that would end ICE facility contracts as a step toward shutting down detention centers entirely.

Family members and advocates demand answers from ICE on the death of father in their custody

March 9, 2023

San Diego, California —The Free Them All San Diego Coalition, the Mami Chelo Foundation, and Detention Watch Network are demanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immediately investigate and release findings related to the death of Cristian Dumitrascu, a 50-year-old man from Romania. Mr. Dumitrascu died on March 5 while detained at the San Diego ICE Otay Mesa Detention Center. Immigrant justice advocates are demanding the facility shut down and that ICE release everyone detained in the wake of this tragedy.

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