Latinos United for Healthcare

LATINO LEADERS CALL ON SECRETARY JOHNSON TO IMMEDIATELY END USE OF PRIVATELY OPERATED DETENTION FACILITIES

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, a coalition of 40 of the nation’s most preeminent Latino advocacy organizations, adopted a resolution calling on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson to end, as expeditiously as possible, the use of privately-operated immigration detention facilities.

The resolution adopted by NHLA includes a call to end all new contracting with private prison companies, closing those facilities with the gravest conditions immediately, and ending the detention of refugee seekers and families, as first steps toward ending all use of private detention centers.

In early December 2016, the DHS’s Homeland Security Advisory Council recommended that the department begin to phase out privately operated immigration detention centers, overturning a prior recommendation of its subcommittee to maintain “the status quo” in continuing to rely on privately operated detention facilities. DHS, through its Immigration and Customs Enforcement arm, holds 65 percent of its more than 400,000 immigration detainees each year in private facilities.

“We have seen egregious violations of human rights that have included abuse and neglect, and even led to the death of detainees. NHLA strongly condemns the continued use of privately operated detention facilities and calls on Secretary Johnson to end their use before the end of his tenure,” said Hector Sanchez, NHLA Chair and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. “In June 2016, the Justice Department announced it was ending its use of privately run prisons stating that private facilities 'simply do not provide the same level of correctional services, programs and resources.’ That should have been a clear sign to DHS that these types of facilities are not equipped to humanely house detainees.”

"By definition, companies that operate detention facilities for profit divert resources away from serving the detained immigrants -- who have not been judged guilty of any crime -- to pay profits to shareholders and senior managers," said Thomas A. Saenz, NHLA Vice Chair and MALDEF President and General Counsel. "Just as it has taken steps in other regards to make the anticipated retrogression of the Trump Administration more difficult, so the Obama Administration should immediately halt the government's perpetuation of this abhorrent practice of profiting from misery -- tearing apart families, punishing without trial, and depriving the detained."

“Secretary Johnson must end the Department of Homeland Security’s multimillion-dollar relationship with the for-profit prison industry. The deprivation of rights for Latinas, LGBTQ individuals and those living at the intersections are plentiful and include family disruption and well-documented abuse, including inadequate medical care that has contributed to numerous detainee deaths. These reasons alone should be reason enough to end the use of private immigration facilities. We are encouraged that an overwhelming majority of Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) members agreed that the status quo reliance of private prisons is morally concerning and should prompt further study. Secretary Johnson undertook a major step in leading this effort, now it is time for him to end the for-profit incarceration of our families,” said Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Executive Director at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health and a member of NHLA’s Immigration Committee.

"It is unacceptable that we have a system where private, for-profit businesses are involved in the detention of individuals—of women and children. These facilities are often deplorable and inhumane.  The women and children held are seeking assistance and asylum and have already suffered extreme abuse arriving here, only to be re-victimized; these detention centers are not safe and should be closed immediately," stated Patricia Tototzintle, CEO, Casa de Esperanza and a member of NHLA's Immigration Committee.

Click here to view the full resolution.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

| Michael Torra | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (202) 425-0582 |

| Brenda Arredondo | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (915) 373-1483 |

ABOUT THE NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERSHIP AGENDA

The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda is composed of 40 of the leading national and regional Latino civil rights and public policy organizations and other elected officials, and prominent Latinos Americans. NHLA coalition members represent the diversity of the Latino community – Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and other Latino Americans. NHLA’s mission calls for unity among Latinos around the country to provide the Latino community with greater visibility and a clearer, stronger influence in our country’s affairs. NHLA brings together Latino leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. For more information, please visit: www.nationalhispanicleadership.org.



NHLA MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

Alianza Americas | American GI Forum | ASPIRA Association, Inc. | Avance | Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network | Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute | Cuban American National Council | Farmworker Justice | Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities | Hispanic Federation | Hispanic National Bar Association | Inter-University Program for Latino Research | Labor Council for Latin American Advancement | Latino Justice PRLDEF | League of United Latin American Citizens | MANA, A National Latina Organization | Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund | NALEO Educational Fund | National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives | National Association of Hispanic Publications | National Association of Latino Independent Producers | National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, Inc. | National Council of La Raza | National Hispana Leadership Institute | National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators | National Hispanic Council on Aging | National Hispanic Environmental Council | National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts | National Hispanic Media Coalition | National Hispanic Medical Association | National Institute for Latino Policy | National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health | National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. | Presente.org | SER – Jobs for Progress National, Inc. | Southwest Voter Registration Education Project | United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce | United States Hispanic Leadership Institute | United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce | U.S.-Mexico Foundation

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