Condemning Immigration Detention Conditions at the U.S.-Mexico Border

The NYC Commission on Human Rights joined by the International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies and over a dozen human and civil rights agencies and leaders have joined together to condemn the deplorable conditions of detention of undocumented immigrants.

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The International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies, a network of state and local government human rights agencies, together with the undersigned individual member and non-member government human rights agencies, enforce local and/or state human rights and civil rights laws, and work to promote and further human rights principles and positive intergroup relations across the United States. As human rights leaders, we condemn the conditions under which undocumented immigrants are being held in U.S. immigration detention, specifically the conditions of detention of children, pregnant immigrants, and immigrants with disabilities and other medical needs, and the separation of families. The failure to provide sanitary housing conditions, including, but not limited to, adequate space and comfort for sleeping; adequate water, nutrition, and access to food; comprehensive medical attention and access to medication; and adequate hygiene, including showers, soap, hygiene products, toothbrushes, and toothpaste, violates basic human rights precepts demanding that all people be treated with dignity and respect, and the right to be free from discrimination on the basis of national origin and ethnicity. As domestic human rights experts, we are compelled to speak out against such gross disregard for the human rights and dignity of undocumented immigrants and call on all human rights officials to join us in our demand to end these deplorable conditions of detention immediately, which endanger not only the health, safety, and welfare of those held in detention but also their families and communities.

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Signatories

• International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies
• New York City Commission on Human Rights
• Cambridge Human Rights Commission
• Chicago Commission on Human Rights
• City of Anderson Human Relations Department
• City of Cincinnati Office of Human Relations
• City of Milwaukee Equal Rights Commission
• Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities
• Howard County Office of Human Rights
• Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations
• Amy Sneirson, Executive Director, Maine Human Rights Commission
• Michigan Department of Civil Rights
• New Jersey Division of Civil Rights
• New York State Division of Human Rights
• Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission
• Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations
• Alicia Weigel, Commissioner, Austin Human Rights Commission
• Jared D. Breckenredge, Commissioner, Austin Human Rights Commission
• Nathan White, Commissioner, Austin Human Rights Commission
• City of Albuquerque Mayor’s Office of Equity and Inclusion
• Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion
• Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations
• Albuquerque Human Rights Board

Human and civil rights organizations interested in joining the statement should email Nimer Basha at nbasha@cchr.nyc.gov.