U.S. Government Should Take Action to Protect the Human Rights of Migrants

New York City – As today marks International Migrants Day, Human Rights First urges the U.S. government to protect the human rights of migrants by working to reform policies and practices that leave them vulnerable to violence, arbitrary detention, and a lack of access to mechanisms for protecting their human rights.

“International Migrants Day is an important reminder that the United States is a nation of immigrants and a beacon of hope to those who come to this country seeking freedom from violence, discrimination, and persecution,” said Human Rights First’s Eleanor Acer. “On this day, we urge the United States to honor its obligations to protect the human rights of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers by taking steps to reform immigration detention policies that are inconsistent with international human rights law and standards.”

Human Rights First urges Congress and the Obama Administration to:

• End the detention of families with children, and abandon the policy of automatically opposing requests from mothers and children for release on bond;
• Eliminate the detention bed quota and invest in case management and other effective and cost-efficient alternative appearance support mechanisms rather than detention for asylum seekers, including families with children; and
• Provide prompt independent court review of all cases of immigration detention.

Human Rights First continues to caution that the administration’s continuation of family detention, including moving forward with a new 2400-bed family immigration facility in Dilley, Texas, undermines U.S. global leadership in protecting refugees and the human rights of migrant children.