The Hill
By Lydia Wheeler
May 21, 2015
House Democrats are calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to end its illegal immigrant family detention program.
In
2014, the DHS started holding immigrant families in prison-like
detention facilities amid an influx of 60,000 families arriving at the
Mexican border.
On
Thursday, lawmakers, led by Democratic Reps. Zoe Lofgren (Calif.), Luis
Gutiérrez (Ill.), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (Calif.), voiced concerns
over inhumane conditions
at these U.S. facilities in Berks County, Pa.; Dilley, Texas; and
Karnes, Texas.
In
addition to limited freedoms and access to healthcare, the members said
women and children are suffering psychological health effects from
being detained while waiting
for their cases to be adjudicated in immigration courts.
Though
the DHS has made improvements at these facilities in access to water,
healthcare and time outside for children to play, Rep. Beto O’Rourke
(D-Texas) said none of
these can make the system right.
“It’s wrong, it’s a waste of money, it’s unnecessary, it’s inhumane and it’s un-American,” he said. “We must change it.”
Speaking
with the help of an interpreter, Maria Rose Lopez said her 9 year-old
son, Yoandri, threatened to jump off the roof while they were detained
for six months at
the Karnes County Residential Center.
“Just
like my son, a lot of children told their mothers they wanted to commit
suicide because they had been here so long,” she said.
Lopez had fled from Honduras for the U.S. to escape severe domestic violence that included rape at knifepoint.
“We
came here seeking protection,” she said, “We were running away from the
many different problems, and they shouldn’t criminalize us for seeking
protection.”
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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