From left: Madonna, Pedro Pascal, Ms. Rachel, Javier Bardem and Keke Palmer Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images (2); Gilbert Flores/Penske Media/Getty Images; Amy Sussman/Getty Images (2) A long list of actors, artists, filmmakers, physicians, organizations and policy experts signed a letter demanding the “immediate closure” of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, a prison-like facility used to hold children and families following ICE raids in the United States.
The letter, which calls upon the federal government and private prison operator CoreCivic, has been signed by Madonna, Pedro Pascal, Ms. Rachel, John Legend, Javier Bardem, Mark Ruffalo, Brittney Griner, America Ferrera, Elliot Page, Raffi, Jane Fonda, Brandi Carlile, Hannah Einbinder, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, Wunmi Mosaku, Glennon Doyle, Billy Porter, Keke Palmer, Hasan Minhaj, Katie Couric, Susan Sarandon and dozens of others.
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“Children held in immigration detention endure trauma, neglect and conditions that violate basic standards of health, safety, dignity and human rights,” reads the letter, which calls for systemic change and accountability. “Court filings of abuse against children have included refusals to provide clean water, rotten food contaminated with worms, dangerous medical neglect, sleep deprivation, denial of legal counsel, the separation of children from their families, and retaliation against families protesting the inhumane conditions. Children belong in schools and on playgrounds, not in detention centers.”
The publication of the letter, which is open for public signatures on Change.org, comes amid mounting and months-long scrutiny of the facility. Multiple reports have cited unsafe conditions within the detention center, including recent cases of measles, contaminated food and water, inadequate medical care, severe mistreatment of detainees and illegal imprisonment. The facility received widespread attention because it’s where federal authorities sent 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos after arresting him with his father in Minneapolis amid controversial ICE raids in the city. Images of Ramos went viral as it showed him being taken into custody while wearing a Spider-Man backpack.
Ms. Rachel, a popular and beloved educator and entertainment personality, has been speaking out about Dilley and the facility’s reportedly dire conditions as she attempts to help the children being held there. “Every child, everywhere, deserves to feel safe, to be cared for, and to be treated with dignity,” Ms. Rachel said in a statement. “We can all agree that no child should be locked in an immigration detention center and subjected to these cruel conditions. This is not who we want to be.”
The letter and current list of signatories (edited down to include entertainment industry names) is below.
Close Dilley ICE Detention Center: Protect Children
No child should be locked in an immigration detention center. We, the undersigned, call for the immediate closure of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) family detention center in Texas and an end to the detention of children and families. Children held in immigration detention endure trauma, neglect and conditions that violate basic standards of health, safety, dignity and human rights.
The harms of detaining children are known and well documented. Court filings of abuse against children have included refusals to provide clean water, rotten food contaminated with worms, dangerous medical neglect, sleep deprivation, denial of legal counsel, the separation of children from their families, and retaliation against families protesting the inhumane conditions.
Children belong in schools and on playgrounds, not in detention centers. We urge the federal government and CoreCivic to close the Dilley facility immediately, return children and families to the homes and communities they were taken from and to end child imprisonment now. Our commitment does not end with closure. We demand transparency, accountability, and systemic reforms to prevent these abuses from happening anywhere in the United States.
Sign on to help protect children and their families.
Abdi Nazemian, artist Abby Wambach, artist Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, artist Ali Wentworth, artist Aisha Tyler, artist Al Madrigal, artist America Ferrera, artist Anna Akana, artist Aron Accurso, artist Ariana DeBose, artist Ashlyn Harris, artist Billy Porter, artist Bobby Lopez, artist Brandi Carlile, artist Breanna Stewart, athlete Brendan Hines, artist Brittney Griner, athlete Busy Philipps, artist Carrie Coon, artist Celine Song, artist Cherien Dabis, artist Chris Perfetti, artist Christina Ricci, artist Cynthia Nixon, artist Cobie Smulders, artist Constance Wu, artist Darren Criss, artist Desi Perkins, artist Diego Luna, artist Donovan Patton, artist Drew Scott, artist Elaine Wentworth, artist Elizabeth Banks, artist Elliot Page, artist Eva Longoria, artist Frances Fisher, artist Gabor Maté, artist Gina Torres, artist Glennon Doyle, artist Gracie Abrams, artist Grant Gustin, artist Hannah Einbinder, artist Hasan Minhaj, artist Ilana Glazer, artist Indigo Girls (Emily Saliers, Amy Ray), artist Janicza Bravo, artist Jane Fonda, artist Javier Bardem, artist Jen Tullock, artist Jessica M Garcia, artist Jesse Peretz, artist John Cusack, artist John Legend, artist Jordan Walker Ross, artist Josh Dela Cruz, artist Katie Couric, artist Kaitlin Becker, artist Kathryn Grody, artist Keke Palmer, artist Kesha, artist King Princess, artist Kristen Anderson-Lopez, artist Lance Bass, artist Lena Dunham, artist Leo Gonzalez, artist Loryn Brantz, artist Madonna, artist Maggie Gyllenhaal, artist Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, artist Mandy Patinkin, artist Mark Ruffalo, artist Melina Matsoukas, artist Melissa Barrera, artist Michelle Williams, artist Mickey Sumner, artist Morgan Spector, artist MUNA (Katie Gavin, Naomi McPherson, Josette Maskin), artist Ms. Rachel, artist Natasha Lyonne, artist Nick Gonzalez, athlete Nicola Coughlan, artist Parvati Shallow, artist Pamela Adlon, artist Pedro Pascal, artist Peter Sarsgaard, artist Poppy Liu, artist Raffi, artist Ramy Youssef, artist Richa Moorjani, artist Paul Feig, artist Poorna Jagannathan, artist Ravayna Coe, artist Rebecca Hall, artist Riley Keough, artist Sara Bareilles, artist Sara Wiles, Artist Shepard Fairey, artist Sohla and Ham El-Waylly, artist Sophia Bush, artist Steve Boyer, artist Steve Burns, artist Tommy Dorfman, artist Wunmi Mosaku, artist Xochitl Gonzalez, artist Yasmin Maya, artist Zainne Saleh, artist
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