Bennet Calls on President Trump to Stop ICE Raids

Washington, D.C. – Amid reports that the Trump Administration’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to carry out nationwide raids across 10 major cities, including Denver, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today sent a letter to President Trump calling on him to immediately stop the raids.

“These raids serve no purpose other than to cause fear and confusion among immigrant communities across the country,” wrote Bennet. “Instead of prioritizing enforcement against individuals who have committed violent crimes, your administration has decided to use scarce resources to penalize families and individuals who are contributing to their communities in my home state of Colorado and across the nation.”

This week, Bennet joined his colleagues in a letter urging President Trump to reverse course on plans to end protections against the deportation of military families whose loved ones are deployed. He also cosponsored legislation to block immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, such as schools, hospitals, and religious institutions.

Yesterday, Bennet joined over three dozen Senate Democrats in cosponsoring the Stop Cruelty to Migrant Children Act, legislation that would put an end to the Trump Administration’s cruel and neglectful treatment of children at the border. Bennet also sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security calling on the agency to provide its plan for rectifying the administration’s unacceptable handling of the crisis on the border following the recent report by the DHS inspector general.  

A copy of today’s letter is available HERE and below.

 

Dear President Trump:

I write to request that you cancel the announced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) raids against immigrant families.

These raids serve no purpose other than to cause fear and confusion among immigrant communities across the country.  Instead of prioritizing enforcement against individuals who have committed violent crimes, your administration has decided to use scarce resources to penalize families and individuals who are contributing to their communities in my home state of Colorado and across the nation.

Immigrant communities deserve our support and understanding rather than hatred and division. These raids will only exacerbate the already overcrowded and inhumane conditions at detention facilities across the country.  They will also continue to stoke fear and anxiety in some of our most vulnerable communities.

Our nation has a rich history of offering immigrants and refugees the opportunity to build a better life for themselves and future generations.  Our time and attention should be focused on rectifying the humanitarian crisis on the border and finding a comprehensive solution to our broken immigration system.  These raids take us in the opposite direction.

I urge you to cancel them immediately. 

 

Sincerely,

Michael F. Bennet

United States Senator

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