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For Immediate Release //
Contact: Armando Carmona, media@ic4ij.org, 951-966-6500
Biden Agrees with immigrant rights advocates: “There should be no private prisons period. No Private Detention Centers”
Georgia, CA – On Thursday night, during a drive-in rally for President Joe Biden, immigrant advocates in Georgia demanded the closure of all private prisons, including immigration detention centers. As President Biden started his speech, advocates interrupted by chanting “end detention now” and “communities not cages”. President Biden responded by agreeing with the individuals and stated that he commits to ending “private detention” and taking action in 5 days.
Yesterday marked the first 100 days in office for the Biden administration, yet President Biden has not addressed the deadly immigration detention centers that continue to cage and abuse our immigrant communities. Congressional leaders have already called on Biden to end private prisons once and for all and have reintroduced a bill that would include a moratorium on private immigrant detention.
Jose Topete, a formally detained immigrant at the Adelanto Detention Center stated,
“I personally experienced the horrors of private immigrant detention. I was held in Adelanto for more than 2 years and experienced horrific levels of abuse. GEO is one of the largest profiteers in this abuse and they must be abolished. This suffering, that all immigrants face inside detention centers must stop. President Biden must keep his promise of shutting down private prisons, enough is enough.”
Lizbeth Abeln, Deportation Defense-Programs Manager at Inland Coalition for Immigration Justice stated the following
“The commitment from President Joe Biden is a result of an amazing movement to end private detention led by individuals who have been victims of this horrific system, organizers, and attorneys who understand the needs of our communities. A moratorium on private detention is a significant win for our communities and a great first step to addressing systemic racism in this country but our fight continues until we Free Them All and Abolish ICE.”