House Democrats recap trip to family detention facilities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A group of eight House Democrats recounted a trip they took this week to visit two private family detention facilities in Texas used to hold mothers and children awaiting disposition of their asylum claims.
Listen to audio recording of the press conference here
During this trip, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (MD), Joaquin Castro (TX), Judy Chu (CA), Raúl Grijalva (AZ), Luis V. Gutiérrez (IL), Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX), Zoe Lofgren (CA), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA) met with detainees at the Karnes County Residential Center in Karnes City on Monday, June 22nd, and at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley on Tuesday, June 23rd, to discuss their experiences, living conditions, and more.
During the press conference, members released videos and pictures they took during their visit, which show women and children pleading for their freedom.
The Members are among the 136 House Democrats who recently signed a letter to DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson calling for an end to family detention. They plan to meet with Secretary Johnson later this afternoon to discuss what they observed at the family detention centers, and their concerns regarding the recently announced DHS policy changes to immigrant family detention.
Video footage of South Texas Family Residential Center – Dilley, TX | June 23, 2015
Available for viewing and download at: http://bit.ly/1GpEPKq
Additional Video Footage:
Pictures of South Texas Family Residential Center and Karnes County Residential Center | June 22-23, 2015
Available for viewing and download here
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