VID Goes on Record Against Zero Tolerance Immigration Policy
At the July Membership Meeting VID introduced and passed a resolution against Zero Tolerance Immigration Policy calling upon the Democratic leadership to enable seven steps for correction.
The resolution (below) was revised in August, 2018, and is for distribution.
Whereas the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy has created an immigration and human rights catastrophe on our southern border, causing the separation and detention of families and children in inhumane and substandard conditions,
Whereas the ACLU has filed lawsuits alleging that children have been housed in cages with insufficient medical care and subpar food, often in chilly “ice boxes” without sweaters and subject to abuse and forced psychotropic drugs,
Whereas there have been numerous allegations of physical and sexual abuse by children and adults who are being detained,
Whereas these detentions can have a lasting traumatic effect on children, according to Dr. James L. Madara, CEO of the American Medical Association, and other health professionals,
Whereas these policies pull millions from the Department of Health and Human Services, causing HHS to spend at least $40 million in the last two months and shift more than $200 million from other HHS accounts for a purely invented crisis (housing costs for imprisoned immigrants are estimated at $1.5 million per day), depriving others of needed HHS services and support,
Whereas these policies have produced ballooning profits for certain agencies like Baptist Child & Family Services, Southwest Key, and International Educational Services for housing immigrant children—now at $1 billion a year, a ten-fold increase over the last decade,
Whereas numerous appointees in the Trump administration previously drew paychecks from companies who contracted with ICE and other federal law enforcement agencies causing them to profit from this crisis,
Whereas the administration is unable to meet its July 26 deadline to reunite all families who have been separated, per order of Federal Judge Dana Sabraw,
Whereas 19 top ICE investigators have criticized the policies,
Therefore let it be resolved that the Village Independent Democrats:
Stands with numerous elected officials and prominent Americans in opposition of the administration’s policies on the issue.
Asks that:
- The Administration cease and desist child separation policies and completely overhaul our cruel and dysfunctional immigration system;
- The Administration reverses its newly-revised visa rules, which severely negatively impact documented immigrants;
- The Administration end all its attacks on both documented and undocumented immigrants;
- Mayor Bill de Blasio stops contracting with ICE while calling New York a “sanctuary city”;
- Mayor Bill de Blasio continues his lawsuit against the Justice Department for withholding $9 million in public safety grants;
- Speaker Corey Johnson and the New York City Council continue their efforts on the issue, such as their support of the Keep Families Together Act, S.B. 3036, “to immediately stop the Department of Homeland Security from taking children from their parents at the U.S. border, except with express directive from a child welfare expert, and for additional legislation that would end family detention as an unsafe and harmful alternative”;
Welcomes immigrants, who are necessary for the vitality of our economy, whose taxes help pay for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP and other social programs, and who are human beings deserving respect, dignity, security, safety, and a decent quality of life for themselves and their families.
You can download the full resolution here.