Washington, D.C. – In solidarity with the millions of Black people and allies who have taken to the street to defend Black lives and demand justice for those who have been killed by police, the Defund Hate Coalition issued the following statement: 

“As a coalition committed to the divestment from agencies that tear apart families and terrorize our communities, we are in solidarity with Black communities and allies demanding justice in calling for the defunding of this country’s militarized police forces.

We know that the mechanisms built to target, detain, and deport immigrants are rooted in, and function in collaboration with the systems of anti-Black racism and white supremacy, which have existed in the United States since before its founding. The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and far too many others were a result of the country’s decision to prioritize the militarization of law enforcement agencies over investments in the health, economic security, and wellbeing of Black communities. These are the same choices that have led to the deaths of dozens of immigrants in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody. 

With the deployment of immigration agents and CBP drones and personnel throughout the United States to surveil and arrest people protesting against police violence, the militarized immigration enforcement apparatus is being further employed to target Black communities and communities of color, regardless of immigration status. 

Law enforcement agencies built in the image of the U.S. military, spending  billions of dollars on weapons, armor, surveillance equipment, and prisons, have proven incapable of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Black and immigrant communities. 

The Defund Hate campaign lifts up the Movement for Black Lives’ policy platform. We call on Congress and local and state governments to end the wasteful spending of our tax dollars on institutions that perpetuate racism and violence and to instead fund education, housing, health care, and other programs that provide opportunity and increase our collective wellbeing.”

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The #DefundHate campaign, composed of organizations representing directly impacted communities, faith leaders, and civil rights and immigrant rights advocates, is committed to divestment from agencies that tear apart our families and terrorize our communities. For too long, our representatives have said they care about our communities while simultaneously funding aggressive immigration enforcement and deadly immigration jails. They must be held accountable to keep their promises and stand with the immigrant community. We call on our members of Congress to say no and vote against wasting taxpayer dollars on an abusive and deadly immigration enforcement system. Instead, we want our tax dollars used to strengthen our families and communities by investing in education, housing, nutrition and health care programs that provide opportunity and increase well-being.