Dear Friends:
If you walked by a newsstand last week, you may have seen the cover of El Diario with the headline "Abuso en Queens".
The story highlights Public Advocate Bill de Blasio's call for an investigation into allegations of abuse at privately run detention facilities contracted by the federal government to hold undocumented immigrants.
The allegations are very serious - sexual abuse, rioting and guard brutality - at facilities accross the country - including one in our own city. Regardless of a person's immigration status, this isn't how our country should treat human beings.
Standing with the New York Immigration Coalition, Make the Road New York and City Council Members Daniel Dromm, Melissa Mark-Viverito, and Jumaane Williams,, Public Advocate de Blasio demanded that the federal government immediately terminate contracts with any company found to have mistreated immigrant detainees.
Our office will keep working on this issue to ensure that a full investigation occurs and changes are enacted to ensure that our government is not doing business with companies that seek to profit off of the mistreatment of human beings.
Best,
Jeff S. Merritt
Senior Advisor
NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio