Source: NJAIJ
Over 50 advocates from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania rallied yesterday in front of the Clarkson S. Fisher Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Trenton to defend A5207, a state law that prevents Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from renewing their contract with private prison corporation CoreCivic at the Elizabeth Detention Center (EDC).
CoreCivic has sued Governor Murphy and the Attorney General’s Office to overturn the law passed in 2021; Biden’s Dept. of Justice has submitted a Statement of Interest favoring CoreCivic’s lawsuit.
On Monday, Federal Judge Robert Kirsch heard oral arguments for the preliminary injunction. Judge Kirsch did not issue a decision on Monday, but a written decision is expected before the end of August. ICE’s contract with CoreCivic for EDC — the last remaining immigration detention center in operation in New Jersey — is set to expire August 31, 2023.
The Elizabeth Detention Center has nearly 30 years of documented abuse, and despite state law and the advocacy of community organizations calling for closure of the facility, the Biden administration and ICE have expressed their intent to renew the EDC contract with CoreCivic for an additional 12 months.
Rev. Charles Loflin (Executive Director) and Phil Lubitz (Board member, Immigration Justice Task Force member) were present at the demonstration on Monday and witnessed the testimonies of community members with direct experience of Elizabeth Detention Center.
“Can you imagine being a place where you don’t see the sun? No windows. Your name is changed into a number. You are not called by your name anymore but they call you by number and you forget your name. You are a father, you don’t have access to your children. You want to be educated but, you don’t have access to education. You want to work. You don’t have access to work. They’re trading your future for money. Shackling and caging kills people slowly. No one is free until all are free! ”
Edwin Koi, First Friends of New Jersey and New York (Board)
“ICE picked me up when my baby was 11 months old. It was hard for me as a mother to leave five kids behind, especially when my youngest was so little. But what people don’t understand is that the impact of detention doesn’t end once you’re out. When you’re detained, you lose everything – your kids, job, apartment. I hope for the sake of other families like mine that we’ll finally see the Elizabeth Detention Center closed.”
Danuska, First Friends of New Jersey and New York
“It felt like a nightmare. The human rights violations are unbelievable. Denying medical attention is a common thing. Closing the Elizabeth Detention Center is the first step for families who have been destroyed by this place to heal.”
Yanet Candelario, The Mami Chelo Foundation (Founder)
Ready to take action? The New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice has upcoming events on 8/20 and 8/31 calling to get ICE out of Elizabeth Detention Center and out of New Jersey!
Right Now:
- RSVP to the “ICE Ban Anniversary & Rally to Close EDC”
- Tweet to #ShutdownEDC — Use the NJAIJ Toolkit