A long list of actors, artists, filmmakers, doctors, organizations and policy experts have signed a letter demanding the “immediate closure” of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, a prison-like facility used to detain children and families after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
The letter, which calls out the federal government and private prison operator CoreCivic, was signed by Madonna, Pedro Pascal, Ms. Rachel, John Legend, Javier Bardem, Mark Ruffalo, Britney Griner, America Ferrera, Elliot Page, Ravi, Jane Fonda, Brandi Carlile, Hannah Einbinder, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, Wunmi Mosaku, Glennon Doyle, Billy Porter, Keke Palmer, Hassan Minhaj, Katie Couric, Susan Sarandon and dozens of others.
“Children detained in immigration detention centers suffer from trauma, neglect, and conditions that violate basic standards of health, safety, dignity, and human rights,” reads the letter, which calls for systemic change and accountability. “Lawsuits of abuse against children have included denial of clean water, spoiled food contaminated with worms, serious medical neglect, sleep deprivation, denial of legal counsel, separation of children from their families, and retaliation against families who protest inhumane conditions. Children belong in schools and playgrounds, not in detention centers.”
The publication of the letter, which is open for public signatures on the Change.org website, comes amid increasing scrutiny of the facility over months. Multiple reports have indicated unsafe conditions inside the detention center, including recent measles cases, contaminated food and water, inadequate medical care, severe mistreatment of detainees and unlawful imprisonment. The facility received widespread attention because federal authorities sent 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos after he was arrested with his father in Minneapolis amid controversial raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the city. Pictures of Ramos went viral, showing him being detained while wearing a Spider-Man backpack.
Ms. Rachel, a popular and beloved educator and entertainment personality, spoke about Daily and the harsh conditions of the facility as she tried to help the children detained there. “Every child, everywhere, deserves to feel safe, cared for and treated with dignity,” Ms Rachel said in a statement. “We can all agree that no child should be locked in an immigration detention center and subjected to these harsh conditions. This is not what we want.”
The letter and current list of signatories (edited to include entertainment industry names) are below.
Dilley ICE Detention Center Closing: Protecting Children
No child should be locked in an immigration detention center. We, the undersigned, call for the immediate closure of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, an ICE family detention center in Texas, and an end to the detention of children and families. Children detained in immigration detention centers suffer from trauma, neglect, and conditions that violate basic standards of health, safety, dignity, and human rights.
The harms of child detention are well known and documented. Child abuse lawsuits included refusal to provide clean water, spoiled food contaminated with worms, serious medical neglect, sleep deprivation, denial of legal counsel, separation of children from their families, and retaliation against families who protest inhumane conditions.
Children belong in schools and playgrounds, not in detention centers. We urge the federal government and CoreCivic to immediately close the Dilley facility, return children and families to the homes and communities from which they were taken, and end the incarceration of children now. Our commitment does not end with closing. We demand transparency, accountability, and systemic reforms to prevent these abuses from happening anywhere in the United States.
Sign in to help protect children and their families.
Abdi Nazemian, artist
Abby Wambach, artist
Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, artist
Ali Wentworth, artist
Aisha Tyler, artist
Madrigal, artist
America Ferrera, artist
Anna Akana, artist
Aaron Accurso, artist
Ariana DeBose, artist
Ashlyn Harris is an artist from the United Kingdom
Billy Porter, artist
Bobby Lopez, artist
Brandi Carlile, artist
Brianna Stewart, athlete
Brendan Hines, artist
Brittney Greiner, athlete
Busy Phillips, artist
Carrie Coon, artist
Celine Song, artist
Sherine Daibes, artist
Chris Perfetti, artist
Christina Ricci, artist
Cynthia Nixon, artist
Cobie Smulders, artist
Constance Wu, artist
Darren Criss, artist
Desi Perkins, artist
Diego Luna, artist
Donovan Patton, artist
Drew Scott, artist
Elaine Wentworth is a British artist
Elizabeth Banks, artist
Elliot Page, artist
Eva Longoria, artist
Frances Fisher, artist
Gabor Matej, artist
Gina Torres, artist
Glennon Doyle, artist
Gracie Abrams is an artist from the United Kingdom
Grant Gustin, artist
Hannah Einbinder, artist
Hasan Minhaj, artist
Ilana Glazer, artist
Indigo Girls (Emily Salyers, Amy Ray), artist
Janeca Bravo, artist
Jane Fonda, artist
Javier Bardem, artist
Jane Tullock, artist
Jessica M. Garcia is an artist from the United Kingdom
Jesse Peretz, artist
John Cusack, artist
John Legend, artist
Jordan Walker Ross, artist
Josh Dela Cruz is an artist
Katie Couric, artist
Caitlin Baker, artist
Catherine Grody, artist
Keke Palmer, artist
Kesha, artist
Princess King, artist
Kristen Anderson Lopez is an artist from the United Kingdom
Lance Bass, artist
Lena Dunham is a British artist
Leo Gonzalez, artist
Lauren Brantz is an artist from the United Kingdom
Madonna, artist
Maggie Gyllenhaal, artist
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is an artist from the United Kingdom
Mandy Patinkin is a British artist
Mark Ruffalo, artist
Melina Matsoukas, artist
Melissa Barrera is an artist from the United Kingdom
Michelle Williams, artist
Mickey Sumner, artist
Morgan Spector is an artist from the United Kingdom
Mona (Katie Gavin, Naomi Macpherson, Josette Maskin), artist
Ms. Rachel, artist
Natasha Lyonne, artist
Nick Gonzalez, athlete
Nicola Coughlan, artist
Parvati Shalu, artist
Pamela Adlon, artist
Pedro Pascal, artist
Peter Sarsgaard, artist
Bobby Liu, artist
Ravi, artist
Ramy Youssef, artist
Risha Moorjani, artist
Paul Feig, artist
Poorna Jagannathan is an artist from the United Kingdom
Raveena Ko, artist
Rebecca Hall, artist
Riley Keough, artist
Sara Bareilles, artist
Sarah Wells, artist
Shepard Fairey, artist
Sahla Waham Al-Waili, artist
Sophia Bush, artist
Steve Boyer, artist
Steve Burns, artist
Tommy Dorfman, artist
Wunmi Mosaku, artist
Xochitl Gonzalez, artist
Yasmine Maya, artist
Zein Saleh, artist
