The White House has publicly committed to reforming the current immigration system, which permits arbitrary detention and deportation in violation of human rights. On December 15, 2009, Representative Luis Gutierrez (IL-D) introduced the first broad legislation of this session to address a broken immigration system that results in egregious and pervasive human rights violations against immigrants and asylum seekers.
In the Senate, Senators Schumer and Graham are expected to introduce a comprehensive bill addressing immigration reform in early 2010. No doubt, ensuring that the human rights of immigrants in detention and deportation are respected and protected will be a battle, and Rep. Gutierrez has provided a blueprint for the protection of rights in detention and deportation.
We need you to tell Senators Schumer and Graham that restoring the due process rights of immigrants in detention and deportation is a key component to successful immigration reform, and must be part of any Senate bill.