Rep. Chu Condemns Aggressive and Cruel Raids on Immigrant Women and Children

Statement

On December 23, 2015, the Washington Post announced that the Obama Administration planned to initiate a series of raids targeting hundreds of families for deportation. Over the weekend, the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers commenced a series of raids in states including Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina. As a result, 121 individuals -- mainly women and children from Central America - were taken into custody. Advocacy groups claim that the immigrant families, many of whom are now being held in the immigrant family detention center in Dilley, Texas, were denied due process, including a lack of legal representation and adequate notice and time for their hearings. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), who has visited the immigrant detention facility in Dilley and called for an end to the practice of family detention, released the following statement:

"Like so many others surprised by ICE's insensible holiday announcement, I was outraged by the news of the recent immigrant raids. The targeting of women and children is both wrong and contrary to our values as a nation. What's worse is that many of those being targeted are refugees with legitimate asylum claims -- not criminals who pose a threat to our country. Holding refugees fleeing horrific violence in prison-like conditions is traumatizing. Returning them to that violence and likely death is worse. Refugees with credible fears have a legal right to be in this country. It's appalling that we force these refugee mothers and children to navigate a broken and complex immigration system without the right to meaningful legal representation. And as the raids continue, more and more immigrant families are afraid to leave their homes for fear that they too will be swept up by ICE. While we are and must remain a nation of laws, we are also a compassionate nation of principles, and violating our longstanding values is the wrong approach to address this humanitarian refugee crisis. I urge President Obama to end these raids and to work with us on a comprehensive solution to address the refugee crisis in Central America."

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