On Thanksgiving eve, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued a temporary stay of removal for the 28 children and their parents facing deportation from the South Texas Family Residential Center and Berks County Residential Detention Center in Pennsylvania. But the families are not out of the woods yet. The court case continues and a COVID outbreak in the Dilley jail are threatening #SafetyForThe28.
Enforcement
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“¿Puedo decir algo más? / Can I say something else?” That’s the voice of “Antonio,” an eight year-old boy, detained with his family in the South Texas Family Residential Center for more than 456 days. He spoke to reporters about his hopes and fears, from the detention center. Antonio doesn’t want to be deported, but he doesn’t want to spend another Christmas in detention either. His voice may be small, but his words were powerful.
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” (1 John 4:18) Today we celebrate the opportunity to turn a page, as a country, and move toward healing.
All people deserve access to health and safety, not deportation to countries they initially fled because of persecution and violence. The United States must prioritize Black immigrants’ and asylum seekers’ experiences in policies and legislation to build a more just, humane, and equitable immigration system.
Despite the global pandemic which has slowed most international travel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is accelerating the deportation of Black migrants to countries they fled, retaliating against those who speak out about abuses in detention.