Dear Friend, 

Last week, Nebane Abienwi, a 37-year-old man from Cameroon who'd been in ICE custody at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, passed away at a nearby medical center.(1)

Abienwi is the ninth immigrant to die in ICE custody this year alone.

Under Trump, U.S. detention centers for immigrants who are seeking asylum are just as damaging as the violence-prone countries many are fleeing. One investigator even found that conditions at the nation's largest Customs and Border Protection detention center "could be compared to torture facilities."(2)

Sign here to demand that Congress enact humane treatment legislation for asylum seekers and immigrants.

U.S. Congress members Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) have sponsored a bill called the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, which would change how the U.S. treats immigrants and ensure a transparent and responsible process for immigrants awaiting a court decision.

This legislation would mandate a shift away from detention centers to alternative housing arrangements for immigrants awaiting court decisions. Community-based supervision programs would allow immigrants to live independently, outside of detention centers. This legislation will also call for regular inspections at detention facilities to ensure that facility workers respect the rights of all immigrants.

Demand that Congress support and pass the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act.

If we do not act now, asylum seekers and immigrants will continue to endure racist and inhumane treatment in for-profit detention centers that not only function as prisons but often separate children from their family members. Lack of healthcare poses a serious threat to the mental and physical well-being of individuals awaiting decisions on their immigration status. Our overall aim is to close down these detention centers permanently, but we recognize that we must care for those inside of the cages in the meantime.

Locking up those fleeing for safety in our country is inhumane, expensive, and wrong. Migrant families who are lawfully seeking asylum cannot continue to be abused! 

Please join us in calling on Congress to pass the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act.

Diego, along with Analeeza, Brian, Caitlin, Deepthi, Eddie, Gabby, Jay, Lindsay, Mary, Molly, Raquel, and Scottie (the Courage team)

Footnotes:
1. https://www.aila.org/infonet/deaths-at-adult-detention-centers
2. https://thehill.com/latino/450305-doctor-declares-conditions-detained-migrant-children-face-are-comparable-to-torture

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