Good Neighbors,

I won’t waste your time and get straight to the point. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is trying to get around and ignore state and local laws.

The Wired reported on July 29th, from multiple sources, that the new contract language with multiple private prison corporations would drive these companies to ignore state laws, health and safety guidelines, and the general humanity of whom they hold captive. The new language of the contract is that each facility must begin taking in people within 30 days of signing the contract. This provides no time for facility expansion or to assure adequate housing or facilities for the people being held.

Another way they are trying to get around the complaints of communities is by outright buying the prisons from the corporations and turning them into federal detention centers. While states can impose restrictions on health codes and environmental standards on private, state, and local prisons, they cannot do so for federally run facilities. With the purchase of two prisons in Washington state alone, DHS is looking to go below the eyes of the people and make it so that we cannot investigate or make sure that people are not being harmed.

In other immigration detention centers, such as the tent city at Fort Bliss, Texas, there were multiple deaths due to poor facilities and lack of access to water. While the Army discontinued that detention center it just meant that the people were scattered to further detention centers. We know that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not care about the well being of the people they detain nor the ones they release. We can see that from their actions no matter what language they use to fluff their promises with.

We must keep watch and stay vigilant so that we can be there to help those that need it, and who are harmed by the actions of DHS and ICE. To learn what you can do, join a Lancaster Stands Up Working Team.

Your friends,

Lancaster Stands Up