Washington, DC – The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) welcomed the news that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will close the Etowah Detention Center in Alabama and limit the use of three other detention facilities across the country.
AILA Policy Counsel Jennifer Ibañez Whitlock noted, "This action by ICE is a welcomed step in the right direction. The decision to shut down Etowah was a long time in coming, but at the end of the day, it was the right thing to do to close it. AILA believes the next step as the wind down is implemented is the release of individuals and to not default to transfers to other facilities."
Whitlock continued, "Detention is overused, and ICE relies too much on its deterrent effect to achieve government aims. We urge the White House and ICE leadership to break the cycle and end its overreliance on detention for enforcement purposes."
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