This week SURJ NYC and our fellow members of the Dignity Not Detention campaign are thrilled to see New York State divest from the business of immigration detention through the recently adopted state budget.
As a core component of the prison-industrial complex, immigration detention is deeply intertwined with white supremacy and intersecting forms of violence. Under the current federal regime, moreover, ICE operates as a tool of state control, targeting communities of color and, increasingly, those who support them, sowing fear and suppressing dissent. Banning state and local immigration detention contracts and restricting the federal government's efforts to expand detention through warehouses is crucial for the safety of all New Yorkers, as well as for democracy itself.
Jorge (not his real name), who was detained at Orange County Jail in 2021, describes it plainly in the coalition’s statement:
“The rooms were so small, there was no recreation, no time outside, we were held inside for months. Knowing that immigration detention is ending there brings me real relief. No one should have to experience what I went through.”
This victory is a testament to the conviction of directly impacted New Yorkers and passionate volunteer organizers: parents, artists, teachers, students, writers, immigrants and their loved ones. Since the bill was introduced in the 2021 legislative session, members of SURJ NYC have facilitated weekly phone zaps, organized and attended rallies locally and across the state, written letters to friends in detention, lobbied in Albany, fundraised tens of thousands of dollars for directly impacted community members, and in general, deeply participated in the campaign’s organizing. We are grateful to everyone who has shown up for the campaign and helped build this powerful community.
We look forward to celebrating this win, reflecting on the hard work that went into it, and moving into what comes next. The work is not yet done. ICE has the authority to release many of the people who are currently in detention. But we know that instead they will threaten to transfer people to federally run ICE detention sites in New York or retaliate by sending them to faraway states. The coalition is monitoring this closely and will advocate for releases and against transfers. We will continue to support New Yorkers in detention and mobilize to oppose the federal government’s detention expansion efforts.
Join us as we discuss the win and take action for the next stages of the fight:
Our weekly phone zaps are continuing, Tuesdays from 1:00–2:00pm. Sign up here to join or make calls on your own anytime.
Sign up to attend the SURJ NYC Immigration Justice working group at our monthly meeting tonight, May 26, on Zoom, 6:30pm–8:30pm.
Onward,
SURJ NYC