The nation has watched in horror as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has engaged in harsh and often unchecked practices in Minnesota, including in the tragic murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. ICE has also been present in Maine, New Orleans, and Los Angeles, and elsewhere, with deployments in other cities planned. Now, Senators are scheduled to vote this week on an additional $10 billion in funding for ICE. It is time to tell senators to oppose this new funding for ICE that is endangering community members nationwide.
Urge Congress to Reject an Additional $10 Billion in Appropriations Funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Background
Congress is considering an additional $10 billion in appropriations funding for ICE, significantly expanding the agency’s capacity for detention, surveillance, and deportation at a time when their presence and actions are putting citizens and non-citizens alike at serious risk. This additional funding will allow ICE to continue pursuing deeply concerning practices and policies, including violent apprehension and detention tactics, dangerous and unhealthy holding facilities, lack of appropriate warrants or due process, and the targeting and wrongful apprehension of U.S. citizens and individuals with proper documentation, based on appearance or language.
Rather than investing billions more in an enforcement-first approach that causes widespread harm, Congress should reject this new funding and then look to prioritize humane and effective immigration solutions, such as access to legal counsel, case management programs, and community-based services that promote compliance while respecting due process and human dignity.
Jewish Values
No less than 36 times, the Torah instructs us on how to treat the ger, the foreigner among us. God commands, “The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love them as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 19:34). Guided by this repeated injunction to love the stranger, the Reform Jewish Movement has long been committed to fixing our fractured immigration system and ensuring just, compassionate, and equitable immigration policies are enacted. Rooted in our belief in the sanctity of each human life, our tradition calls on us to protect and fight for the dignity of all impacted by our immigration system.
Additional Information
If you have additional questions about this issue, visit the RAC's immigration page or contact Senior Legislative Assistant Tamara Upfal.
Join us in the act of bearing sacred witness as we share reflections from Minnesotan leaders and those who travelled to Minnesota to stand in solidarity and protest:
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