People who migrate have the right to seek protection and regularize their immigration status without being deprived of their right to freedom. Sebastian Melendez, a 23-year-old member of the Garífuna community from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, spent 20 months in immigration detention in the U.S. Throughout this time, he was deprived of his basic right to freedom simply for exercising his right to migrate.
Watch Sebastian’s story.
https://fb.watch/f6cisaTX2H/
Sebastian Melendez spent more than 20 months in immigration detention simply for fleeing violence and poverty in his home country.
There are currently more than 23,000 people in immigrant detention in the U.S. and another 285,000 are being monitored under what is known as alternatives-to-detention (ATD) programs. The current ATD programs are often managed by private corporations through contracts with Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) that are reportedly inept at offering the services “guaranteed” for those enrolled. Instead of relying on ICE and corporate greed, these alternatives-to-detention programs must be rooted in community-based case management services that uphold the dignity of people like Sebastian.
Despite vast human rights abuses occurring in detention facilities, it costs taxpayers $1.8 billion annually to detain migrants. Another $25 billion is directed annually to Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP);9 two branches of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that continually threaten the freedom of migrant communities. We know that these funds could be better spent on investing in immigrant communities by providing access to legal counsel for those in deportation proceedings and access to quality housing, healthcare, transportation, education, and other programs that would benefit our communities.
People like Sebastian deserve to be met at our borders with dignity and respect. Please share his story today.
JOIN OUR MOVEMENT.SHARE SEBASTIAN’S STORY
With love and solidarity,
– Matt, Favianna, Erick, Nancy, Melanie, Sarah, Reetu, Oscar, Erica, Sara, and the Presente.org team.
P.S. We need your support to keep the movement powerful, will you contribute monthly?
References:
1.“Freedom.presente.org.” Accessed August 23, 2022.
2. “Language, dance, and music of the Garifuna.” UNESCO. Accessed August 23, 2022.
3. “Immigration Detention Quick Facts.” TRAC Immigration. Accessed August 23, 2022.
4. “Government Alternatives to Detention.” Detention Watch Network. Accessed August 23, 2022.
5. Johana, Bhuiyan. “Poor tech, opaque rules, exhausted staff: inside the private company surveilling US immigrants.” The Guardian. March 7, 2022.
6. Truong, Trinh Q. “Immigrants and Asylum Seekers Deserve Humane Alternatives to Detention”. The Center for American Progress. July 13, 2022.
7. Speri, Alice. “Detained, then violated.” The Intercept. April 11, 2018.
8. “Freedom.presente.org.” Accessed August 23, 2022.
9. “Understanding the Finances Behind ICE and CBP.” DefundHate. Accessed August 23, 2022.
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