A long list of actors, artists, filmmakers, physicians, organizations and policy experts signed a letter demanding the “immediate closure” of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, a prison-like facility used to hold children and families following ICE raids in the United States.
The letter, which calls upon the federal government and private prison operator CoreCivic, has been signed by Madonna, Pedro Pascal, Ms. Rachel, John Legend, Javier Bardem, Mark Ruffalo, Brittney Griner, America Ferrera, Elliot Page, Raffi, Jane Fonda, Brandi Carlile, Hannah Einbinder, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, Wunmi Mosaku, Glennon Doyle, Billy Porter, Keke Palmer, Hasan Minhaj, Katie Couric, Susan Sarandon and dozens of others.
“Children held in immigration detention endure 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. “Court filings of abuse against children have included refusals to provide clean water, rotten food contaminated with worms, dangerous medical neglect, sleep deprivation, denial of legal counsel, the separation of children from their families, and retaliation against families protesting the inhumane conditions. Children belong in schools and on playgrounds, not in detention centers.”
The publication of the letter, which is open for public signatures on Change.org, comes amid mounting and months-long scrutiny of the facility. Multiple reports have cited unsafe conditions within the detention center, including recent cases of measles, contaminated food and water, inadequate medical care, severe mistreatment of detainees and illegal imprisonment. The facility received widespread attention because it’s where federal authorities sent 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos after arresting him with his father in Minneapolis amid controversial ICE raids in the city. Images of Ramos went viral as it showed him being taken into custody while wearing a Spider-Man backpack.
Ms. Rachel, a popular and beloved educator and entertainment personality, has been speaking out about Dilley and the facility’s reportedly dire conditions as she attempts to help the children being held there. “Every child, everywhere, deserves to feel safe, to be cared for, and to be 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 cruel conditions. This is not who we want to be.”
The letter and current list of signatories (edited down to include entertainment industry names) is below.
Close Dilley ICE Detention Center: Protect 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 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) family detention center in Texas and an end to the detention of children and families. Children held in immigration detention endure trauma, neglect and conditions that violate basic standards of health, safety, dignity and human rights.
The harms of detaining children are known and well documented. Court filings of abuse against children have included refusals to provide clean water, rotten food contaminated with worms, dangerous medical neglect, sleep deprivation, denial of legal counsel, the separation of children from their families, and retaliation against families protesting the inhumane conditions.
Children belong in schools and on playgrounds, not in detention centers. We urge the federal government and CoreCivic to close the Dilley facility immediately, return children and families to the homes and communities they were taken from and to end child imprisonment now. Our commitment does not end with closure. We demand transparency, accountability, and systemic reforms to prevent these abuses from happening anywhere in the United States.
Sign on to help protect children and their families.
Abdi Nazemian, artist
Abby Wambach, artist
Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, artist
Ali Wentworth, artist
Aisha Tyler, artist
Al Madrigal, artist
America Ferrera, artist
Anna Akana, artist
Aron Accurso, artist
Ariana DeBose, artist
Ashlyn Harris, artist
Billy Porter, artist
Bobby Lopez, artist
Brandi Carlile, artist
Breanna Stewart, athlete
Brendan Hines, artist
Brittney Griner, athlete
Busy Philipps, artist
Carrie Coon, artist
Celine Song, artist
Cherien Dabis, 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, artist
Elizabeth Banks, artist
Elliot Page, artist
Eva Longoria, artist
Frances Fisher, artist
Gabor Maté, artist
Gina Torres, artist
Glennon Doyle, artist
Gracie Abrams, artist
Grant Gustin, artist
Hannah Einbinder, artist
Hasan Minhaj, artist
Ilana Glazer, artist
Indigo Girls (Emily Saliers, Amy Ray), artist
Janicza Bravo, artist
Jane Fonda, artist
Javier Bardem, artist
Jen Tullock, artist
Jessica M Garcia, artist
Jesse Peretz, artist
John Cusack, artist
John Legend, artist
Jordan Walker Ross, artist
Josh Dela Cruz, artist
Katie Couric, artist
Kaitlin Becker, artist
Kathryn Grody, artist
Keke Palmer, artist
Kesha, artist
King Princess, artist
Kristen Anderson-Lopez, artist
Lance Bass, artist
Lena Dunham, artist
Leo Gonzalez, artist
Loryn Brantz, artist
Madonna, artist
Maggie Gyllenhaal, artist
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, artist
Mandy Patinkin, artist
Mark Ruffalo, artist
Melina Matsoukas, artist
Melissa Barrera, artist
Michelle Williams, artist
Mickey Sumner, artist
Morgan Spector, artist
MUNA (Katie Gavin, Naomi McPherson, Josette Maskin), artist
Ms. Rachel, artist
Natasha Lyonne, artist
Nick Gonzalez, athlete
Nicola Coughlan, artist
Parvati Shallow, artist
Pamela Adlon, artist
Pedro Pascal, artist
Peter Sarsgaard, artist
Poppy Liu, artist
Raffi, artist
Ramy Youssef, artist
Richa Moorjani, artist
Paul Feig, artist
Poorna Jagannathan, artist
Ravayna Coe, artist
Rebecca Hall, artist
Riley Keough, artist
Sara Bareilles, artist
Sara Wiles, Artist
Shepard Fairey, artist
Sohla and Ham El-Waylly, artist
Sophia Bush, artist
Steve Boyer, artist
Steve Burns, artist
Tommy Dorfman, artist
Wunmi Mosaku, artist
Xochitl Gonzalez, artist
Yasmin Maya, artist
Zainne Saleh, artist
