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Dear John,
Chain link fences surround the ICE family detention center in Dilley, Texas. Uniformed guards patrol the grounds, intimidating detained mothers and their children. The smell of disinfectant permeates the air, stinging your nostrils.
I traveled to this detention facility — and I witnessed a human rights travesty rooted in xenophobia, racism, and nationalism.
As I write, migrants and asylum-seekers are falling severely ill in ICE detention facilities from exposure to COVID-19 and negligent medical care. Tragically, some have died. Parents are faced with an unconscionable choice of considering separating from their children, or staying locked up together in detention indefinitely.
We urgently need people of conscience — people like you — to rise up with Amnesty and protect all those in need of our help. We just launched Amnesty’s Membership Drive — a campaign so important that any gift you make will be matched.
You have taken action with Amnesty. Thank you! Will you take the next important step now? Make a donation — whatever you can chip in — and it will be matched »
John, our government has the discretionary authority to release parents from detention with their children. But even during a pandemic, ICE is refusing to free families together. In short, the U.S. government is flagrantly refusing to act on its authority to release these people — and to protect people under its care and custody.
In my work as Amnesty’s lead researcher on refugee and migrant rights, I’ve seen and heard far too many stories that break my heart — stories that I feel compelled to share with like-minded people like you.
During my last visit, a woman told our team that when her child fell sick and cried out in pain, a guard told her to give him a lollipop. And John, forget about emergency care. These facilities are NOT equipped to handle any serious medical conditions, including COVID-19.
Amnesty’s researchers and campaigners are working tirelessly to help free every single family in ICE detention. We’re exposing the inhumane treatment of families — and all people — in ICE detention, and we’re lobbying Congress to call on ICE to free detained families together and free people from immigration detention. We’re also campaigning on cases of individual families to be released. In the past few months, because of the applied pressure from people like you, we’ve had two high-profile successes. But there are still nearly 90 more families who need our help.
With your support, we’ll continue to drive tens of thousands of letters and phone calls to ICE. We’ll share our reports with legislators and government officials who will use our research to intervene. And we’ll make sure the truth gets out to TV reporters and journalists. Will you help? Amnesty relies on contributions from people like you. And for a short time, your donation will be matched, doubling your impact.
I started my work with Amnesty as a volunteer back in 2004. I will ALWAYS believe in this organization because I have experienced first-hand the human rights wins Amnesty makes possible.
Thank you in advance for helping fight back during this critical moment.
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