Aug. 6, 2009
For Immediate
Release
Obama administration takes forceful step toward addressing detention crisis
Announcement follows report by OneAmerica detailing abuses at Northwest Detention Center
SEATTLE - Today, the Department of Homeland
Security announced changes to the way they conduct oversight and accountability
in immigration detention and changes to policies regarding the T. Don Hutto
immigrant detention facility in Texas.
OneAmerica's report, released in July 2008, detailed numerous abuses at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma and was the subject of news articles worldwide.
OneAmerica Executive Director
Pramila Jayapal welcomed today's news on changes to the detention system, issuing this
statement:
"We
are pleased to see that the Department of Homeland Security is tackling the
numerous problems with the detention system that have been documented across
the country. Clearly, the system as it is simply does not uphold
fundamental American values or basic human rights. Detention, now the
fastest growing form of incarceration in the United States, has become a
profit-making venture for private companies that care little about
accountability or values. It is incumbent upon our government to ensure
that we are finding alternatives to detention, upholding basic human rights
within detention centers and holding private contractors accountable. Closing the Hutto facility is an important and symbolic first step.
OneAmerica has been pleased
to meet with Dr. Dora Schriro as she continues to develop her recommendations
around systemic reforms within the detention system. We believe a
comprehensive approach is essential and look forward to working with her new
office of Detention Policy to ensure that we have in place legally binding and
enforceable standards around detention conditions. Until we have this,
there is simply little accountability around the implementation of any
detention policies that ensure due process protections.
We also believe that enacting
comprehensive immigration reform is central to ensuring that America refocuses
attention on making sure immigrants can be here legally and contribute to
making our economy even more productive. The broken system needlessly
leads to wasting taxpayer dollars on a detention complex that does nothing to
solve the real problem and rips families apart.
We hope that these changes
are only the beginning of more reforms that promote oversight and
accountability. We will continue to work with Secretary Napolitano and
her team to ensure that we obtain the most comprehensive reform not only of our
detention system but also of our broader immigration system, ensuring that we
uphold fundamental American values and rights."
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