Washington, DC — The House Appropriations Committee this week proposed a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spending bill for fiscal year 2022 that includes approximately $22 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Although this is a slight decrease from last year’s enacted funding levels, and we commend the inclusion of provisions that would ameliorate the punishing nature of immigration enforcement, the Defund Hate campaign is extremely disappointed by proposed funding levels for ICE detention and surveillance and technology at our borders. Continue reading

SOUTHERN BORDER — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced S. 2103 The Accountability for Federal Law Enforcement Act, which, if passed, will allow individuals to sue federal law enforcement officers and agencies if they have experienced civil and constitutional rights violations. Continue reading

Defund Hate Campaign Response to President’s  FY22 Budget Request Washington, DC (Friday, May 28, 2021) — The Defund Hate campaign and immigrant rights groups who monitor technology surveillance programs expressed frustration after President Biden released a Fiscal Year 2022 budget request of $8.4 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and $16.3 billion for Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The president’s budget contradicts his commitments to help communities rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic and pursue government policies that end racial inequities, and instead continues to direct billions of taxpayer dollars toward agencies and private prison corporations which have a nearly 20-year pattern of fiscal mismanagement, separating families, and violating people’s civil and human rights. Continue reading

SOUTHERN BORDER — President Biden’s address to a joint session Congress reiterated the good and bad policy points when it comes to immigration and the border. President Biden shared his stance on immigration reform and how The U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 is a bold, inclusive, and humane framework to rethink immigration policy. This is an important first step to bring us together as a country and move us forward to enact much needed reform, however, Biden’s provisions on “high-tech border security” are not a step in the right direction. Continue reading

SOUTHERN BORDER — Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) introduced a bill on Thursday, April 22, that would undermine access to fair asylum processes at the southern border. Representatives Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and Tony Gonzalez (R-TX) introduced a sister bipartisan bill in the House of Representatives on Thursday as well.  Continue reading

SOUTHERN BORDER — In March 2021, the Southern Border Communities Coalition celebrates ten years of border rights advocacy. Formed in March 2011, the Southern Border Communities Coalition brings together 60 organizations across the southern borderlands, from San Diego, CA to Brownsville, TX.  Southern border communities are dynamic places full of hope and opportunity, but for decades border policies have cast aside human rights, criminalized migrants and focused on deadly and unaccountable border enforcement. Border communities have been harmed by these policies, adversely impacting our residents’ and visitors' human rights, local and regional economies, the environment and cross-border ties.  Continue reading

SOUTHERN BORDER — It’s been one year since the Trump Administration began misusing Title 42 to block and expel people seeking safety at our southern border. This harmful, and possibly illegal, use of Title 42 continues to this day under the Biden Administration, with no basis as to the efficacy of its implementation in keeping people safe. Continue reading

Dream and Promise Act signals a move towards humane and dignified immigration policy SOUTHERN BORDER — Today was a momentous day in the U.S. House of Representatives, where lawmakers voted 228-197 to pass the Dream and Promise Act of 2021, protecting millions of immigrant youth and their families.  Continue reading

SOUTHERN BORDER — Yesterday, legislation was introduced that would provide a pathway to citizenship for immigrant youth and their families by Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA). The bill was co-authored by Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) and Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY). Continue reading

SOUTHERN BORDER — Today, members of Congress introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, a bold, inclusive, and humane framework proposed by President Biden to rethink immigration policy and border governance. The Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC) applauds this important first step to bring us together as a country and move us forward to enact much needed reform, and offers initial recommendations to strengthen the provisions on border accountability. Continue reading