To the editor:
The United States has 52 million immigrants, most of whom are here legally.
Trump has promised to expel a million immigrants a year, starting with “violent criminals.”
ICE has kidnapped and detained 66,000 individuals, 50% with no criminal record. Those with violent criminality are less than 10%.
As couples enter court for green card interviews, foreign-born spouses without criminal records are separated from their families and sent to detention centers. Detainees are manacled and held for 10-70 days before release. They are held in overcrowded cells, cruelly treated and forced to defecate in front of other detainees and guards.
During peaceful citizen protests, ICE agents are shown using tear gas and throwing pepper balls at people’s heads. One judge ruled these actions illegal. But ICE agents appear to believe that laws do not apply to them.
Recently, Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem announced ICE recruiting will eliminate all applicant age requirements, offer Student Loan forgiveness, provide lucrative overtime packages and offer selective $50,000 signing bonuses so that ICE has enough agents.
Understand that due process is not just a constitutional right afforded only to citizens. Legal restrictions on unlawful detention apply to all people (citizens and non-citizen immigrants) on U.S. soil. Currently our legal process has deteriorated with this administration and federal ICE agents neither respecting nor complying with our own laws.
Contact your Congressperson and Senators and demand that they enact laws placing restrictions on illegal ICE arrests, requiring that ICE afford due process to all detainees and stopping cruel and inhumane detention.
Ken Peterson
Punta Gorda