On President Biden’s first day in office, he issued a memo to change immigration enforcement priorities. Freedom for Immigrants recently conducted an investigation into ICE’s implementation of the interim enforcement priorities through a survey of people inside immigration detention. We found that the priorities have already had lasting and harmful consequences for immigrants of varied backgrounds and circumstances, and their families, including those with longstanding ties to the United States and US-born citizen children. We also found that ICE has failed to adhere to its stated priorities and continues to arrest and detain people who do not meet the criteria.

As Amanda Díaz, who manages our National Detention Hotline, told The Intercept, “The Biden-Harris administration has made a clear commitment to racial equity, but the immigration enforcement priorities have done the reverse.” We encourage you to read more in today’s article in The Intercept. Huge shout our to Amanda and Layla Razavi, our deputy executive director, for their leadership on this report as well as Sofia Casini and Rebecca Merton. Thank you to the skillful and brilliant journalist, John Washington, for your article today.

Christina M. Fialho | She/Her/Hers
Co-Founder/Executive Director
FREEDOM for IMMIGRANTS
Office: 310-765-4044 (Los Angeles, CA)
www.freedomforimmigrants.org

Freedom for Immigrants is working to abolish immigration detention. Learn more & donate here.