Immigration Advocates: Reunited Families Shouldn’t be Kept in Cages

By: Trimmel Gomes, Public News Service – FL

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – After a federal judge temporarily halted deportations of immigrant families reunited at the southwest border, immigrant-rights groups say there is still a problem with keeping families incarcerated for profit.

U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw imposed a delay of at least a week following a request from the American Civil Liberties Union, which cited “persistent and increasing rumors … that mass deportations may be carried out imminently and immediately upon reunification.” The ACLU requested that parents have at least one week to decide whether to pursue asylum in the U.S. after they are reunited with their children. The judge held off on deciding that issue until the government outlines its objections in writing by next Monday.

Melissa Taveras, with Florida Immigrant Coalition media relations, says the detention centers are privately owned and there are incentives for corporations to keep them filled.

“At the Florida Immigrant Coalition, we’re advocating heavily so that families stay together but they are not kept together behind cages, they are not kept together in detention centers,” she says.

Justice Department attorney Scott Stewart opposed the delay but did not address the rumors in court. The Trump administration is facing a July 26 deadline for putting thousands of children back together with their parents.

Tavares says immigrant youth, mothers and community members from South Florida will hold a rally in front of Miami’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Miramar to call for the agency to be abolished.

“A lot of these detention centers, including the Broward transitional center here in Miramar, are privately owned, and without people held in these detention centers, there wouldn’t be a profit,” she explains.

Advocates in federal court in Los Angeles said immigrant children in government custody are being given poor food, kept in unsanitary conditions and face insults and threats. The Trump administration has until July 26 to reunite more than 2,500 youngsters ages 5 to 17.