On any given day, at least 34,000 people are detained in immigrant detention centers in the U.S. to meet an arbitrary lock-up quota dictated by Congress. Stopping the quota would be a giant step forward in ending our reliance on detention. Grassroots Leadership researches and exposes the role of for-profit prisons and their lobbyists in enacting the quota contributes to the growing national movement to stop immigrant detention.
AUSTIN — Today, the President signed an executive order mandating that families be jailed in detention camps operated on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security while continuing the “zero-tolerance” policy of criminally prosecuting all immigrants apprehended at the border. Read more about Indefinitely Jailing Families Is Not a Solution
"La organización pro inmigrante Grassroots Leadership está invitando a las personas a que se unan como voluntarios para su programa de visitas en el Centro Residencial T. Don Hutto, de Taylor.
El programa de visitas a Hutto comenzó en el 2010 y, según Sofía Casini, quien es la cordinadora de programas migratorios para Grassroots Leadership, entrenan a alrededor de 200 voluntarios al año para que vayan a visitar a las mujeres detenidas." Read more about Tú puedes brindarle apoyo a las detenidas de este centro de detención
For time and location information, please RSVP with Cristina Parker, cparker@grassrootsleadership.org.
AUSTIN — Monday Laura Monterrosa will speak to the public following her release from the T. Don Hutto detention center Friday evening, after being detained for approximately 10 months. Read more about Laura Monterrosa speaks out after her release
WHEN: Thursday 11 a.m.
WHERE: 6929 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78752
WHAT: Community members inside Beto O’Rourke office, others rally outside Read more about BREAKING: Laura Monterrosa to be deported unless DHS grants release
AUSTIN — Today a federal judge in Austin heard the habeas corpus petition and temporary restraining order in the case of Laura Monterrosa, who has been speaking out about her sexual assault by a guard at the T. Don Hutto detention center. ICE and CoreCivic respondents were forced to provide Ms. Monterrosa with outside mental health treatment after expert witnesses who had provided psychological and psychiatric assessments for Ms. Read more about ICE Admits Failing to Provide Adequate Medical Care to Laura Monterrosa in Federal Court
WHAT: Press conference and action in support of Laura Monterrosa
WHEN: Tuesday, March 13 at 9 a.m.
WHERE: 441 Federal Courthouse Plaza, Austin, TX 78701 Read more about T. Don Hutto on Trial: Federal Judge to Hear Abuses and Retaliation Laura Monterrosa has Faced in Detention
"Two for-profit prison companies—the GEO Group and CoreCivic (formerly the Corrections Corporation of America) hold 72 percent of privately contracted immigration detention beds, according to a 2015 report from Grassroots Leadership, a non-profit whose mission is to shut down for-profit prison facilities. Both have seen their profits spike under Donald Trump’s presidency. And they could continue to benefit even more: Trump’s 2018 budget plan requested an increase in the number of available immigrant detention beds to over 48,000." Read more about The Supreme Court's Ruling on Immigrant Detention Is a Huge Win for Private Prisons
February 25, 2018 by Bethany N. Carson
WHAT: Testimony at Commissioners Court
WHO: Community members who have visited with Laura
WHEN: 9:30 a.m., Tuesday February 20
WHERE: Williamson County Commissioners Court, 710 S Main St, Georgetown TX 78626
AUSTIN — Tomorrow community members will testify to request the intervention of Williamson County Commissioners Court on the case of Laura Monterrosa, an immigrant woman detained at the T. Don Hutto Detention Center. Read more about Community members call on Williamson County Commissioners to intervene for Laura Monterrosa’s immediate release from Hutto Detention Center
AUSTIN — Laura Monterrosa’s mental and physical health continue to decline dangerously after she was driven to attempt suicide inside detention in early January. Monterrosa has spent nearly 9 months in the T. Don Hutto Detention Center where she has spoken out about being sexually assaulted by a guard. Her mental health has continuously deteriorated under intimidation by officials at the detention center and she remains suicidal. Read more about Laura Monterrosa’s mental health dangerously declines in detention