Washington, D.C. — After reports that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may resume a policy of family detention for families seeking asylum at the U.S. southern border, Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
Resuming a policy of family detention is unequivocally an unacceptable response to the challenges of managing migration. President Joe Biden was right when he terminated this inhumane policy two years ago, and he must absolutely reject this deplorable recommendation today.
Americans should be appalled by the statement from DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that “all options are on the table.” Family detention crosses all moral lines and is no alternative to the abuses of Title 42. In addition to its proven damaging impacts on children, family detention simply is not an effective border management strategy.
Congressional inaction is not an excuse to subvert our values. The administration has other tools, such as DHS’ own alternatives to detention program and family case management program, and they should use and improve them instead of reverting to a policy that degrades all Americans.
For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Julia Cusick at [email protected].