John,

The government approved a request by ICE to begin destroying records detailing the abuse and mistreatment of immigrants detained in ICE custody.

Along with the American Historical Association and the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, CREW is suing to prevent the destruction of these important records, which include those documenting detainee deaths, sexual assault, solitary confinement, and other mistreatment in ICE custody. Some of these records are scheduled to be destroyed as early as this year.

This week, CREW secured a binding agreement that ICE will not destroy any records while the lawsuit is ongoing. This is a crucial step towards ensuring records of detainee mistreatment are not permanently lost. Read more about the lawsuit here.

The National Archives and Records Administration decided to allow ICE to destroy records despite record-setting numbers of public comments in opposition. NARA’s own policies also contradict the decision, which makes it all the more concerning that they decided to let ICE move forward with the destruction. Given the substantial and growing evidence of the mistreatment of immigrants detained in ICE custody, it is essential that these records be preserved.

If ICE gets away with destroying the records of its abusive treatment of immigrants, it will be much harder to hold the agency accountable for its abuses. In cases like this, government transparency can have life or death consequences.

ICE should not be permitted to destroy these records, and now, as long as the lawsuit is ongoing, they can’t.

Thank you,

Noah Bookbinder
Executive Director, CREW

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