NJ Legislature Passes Bill to End Immigration Detention

TRENTON, N.J. – Lawmakers in New Jersey today advanced legislation that would prohibit the state from entering into or renewing contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), sending the bill to Governor Phil Murphy’s desk.

Following passage of the legislation in the Assembly on Monday, the Senate approved its version of the bill this afternoon. The bill’s passage comes on the heels of several other states passing similar legislation to end private immigration detention, including Illinois, Washington, among others. This historic action came as a dozen immigrants at Bergen County Jail went on hunger strike in protest of their unjust detention.

The Dignity Not Detention Act in New York

Freedom for Immigrants, along with the Abolish ICE NY-NJ Coalition, NYC Democratic Socialists of America and many others, is pleased to support New York’s Dignity Not Detention Legislation.

We, the undersigned organizations, urge the New York State legislature to pass the Dignity Not Detention Act, and end immigration detention contracts between ICE and New York county jails, correctional facilities & all government facilities across the state. We urge you to vote in favor of the Dignity Not Detention Act.

Freedom for Immigrants' Investigation Into the Biden Administration's Enforcement Priorities: Analysis Reveals the Administration is Not Following Its Own Guidelines

We conducted an investigation into Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) implementation of its interim enforcement priorities through a survey of people inside immigration detention.

We found that the priorities have already had lasting and harmful consequences for immigrants of varied backgrounds and circumstances, and their families, including those with longstanding ties to the United States and US-born citizen children. We also found that, even with the administration’s broad enforcement priorities, the agency fails to adhere to its stated priorities and continues to arrest and detain people who do not meet the criteria.

We recognize the effort and risk that goes into immigrants in ICE custody calling us to share and document this information, and we appreciate the bravery and courage of those who have shared their experience while detained in the U.S. immigration system.

Freedom for Immigrants Supports Dignity Not Detention Bill in New Jersey

Freedom for Immigrants is pleased to support bill number A5207/S3361. We believe this bill will greatly improve life for many immigrants, their families and communities in not only New Jersey but also immigrants from New York.

This bill will prohibit the signing of new, renewed or expanded detention contracts between federal immigration enforcement agencies and localities in New Jersey, including contracts with private prison companies. This bill will ensure that the state of New Jersey is no longer complicit in maintaining the abusive and profit driven detention system.

AB 3228 Accountability in Detention Act Letter of Support

Freedom for Immigrants submitted a letter of support for AB 3228, a bill that provides accountability for the operators of private detention facilities, and protects the health and safety of those detained, as well as the surrounding community.

We believe that this bill is a critical step toward holding private prison companies accountable for abuses and lapses in standards that have fueled the proliferation of COVID-19 in detention and within our communities as a whole.

Private Prison Companies Are a Bad Deal

Private prison companies like the GEO Group and CoreCivic (formerly known as CCA), have preyed on rural towns with promises of economic development in exchange for land to build and operate their facilities. Increasingly, private prisons are being used to incarcerate immigrants via contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to data obtained through a Freedom of information Act (FOIA) request, as of 2017, 71% of people in ICE custody are detained in private prisons.

California's Ban on Private Prisons is Under Attack by ICE

“For dinner we were served ground turkey meat, but the meat was so badly spoiled that a very foul smell spread all throughout the dorm … others almost threw up when they found maggots in the meat.” This is how Carlos Hidalgo describes the quality of food he received while he was detained at the Adelanto Processing Center, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in California. Adelanto is owned and operated by private prison company Geo Group. Advocates and government inspectors have documented years of abuses at Adelanto, including retaliatory use of solitary confinement and medical neglect leading to death.

Beyond Conditions: Immigration Detention is Psychological Torture

Spoiled food. Medical neglect leading to death. Retaliatory use of solitary confinement. Sexual assault. These are just some of the abuses faced by the approximately 50,000 immigrants detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) jails and prisons throughout the country. However, a new report by Freedom for Immigrants explains how the abuse in immigration detention is deliberate and amounts to psychological torture.