Father’s Day Picnic at T. Don Hutto Detention Center highlights family separation of fathers under the Biden Administration
Community advocates call on the Biden Administration to follow through on his campaign promises
Taylor, Texas—Women and children previously detained, as well as community advocates, gathered Saturday afternoon at T. Don Hutto for a Father’s Day picnic in celebration and honor of fathers currently detained just a few feet away.
“While families across the country will be celebrating this Father’s Day, the fathers and sons currently detained at Hutto don’t know when they’ll see their families again,” said Alicia Torres, Immigration Campaigns Consultant for Grassroots Leadership. “Under President Biden’s administration, more jails for migrant children continue to open, and private prison companies like CoreCivic continue to profit from the incarceration of mothers, children, and fathers.”
The event, called “Separated by Hutto, United by Heart” featured a card-making session for members of the community. More than a dozen mothers and children, many of whom were also previously detained at T. Don Hutto, are calling the Biden Administration to take measures to shut down the detention center and end racist policies enacted by the Trump Administration, such as Title 42.
This past December, T. Don Hutto’s population quietly changed from detaining only women seeking asylum to now only men seeking asylum. However, community advocates note that it does not matter who is detained at T. Don Hutto, only that the fight continues to shut down this detention center once and for all. There are approximately 100 men currently detained at T. Don Hutto.
“Separation of men is also separation of families,” said Sulma Franco, a member of Mujeres Luchadoras who was previously detained at T. Don Hutto for more than four months. “Under Biden, Hutto remains open and separating families. When Biden arrived at the White House, he promised to reverse the harmful policies put forward by the Trump Administration. It’s now 2022, and nothing has changed for us.”
Once the Father’s Day cards were created, community advocates then attempted to deliver the handmade cards in the hopes they are delivered to the fathers detained. “We hope they get delivered, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the guards threw them away intstead,” said Bethany Carson, Policy and Research Manager for Grassroots Leadership.
If members of the community are interested in supporting those currently detained, Grassroots Leadership is seeking donated items in order to support the fathers and sons released from T. Don Hutto. You can email info@grassrootsleadership.org for more information.
Backpack
Small traveling blanket
Traveling pillow
Prepaid Phone that costs no more than ($50) and a $25 card to activate it
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Small comb
Hair gel
Deodorant
Socks
Small mirror
Shoelaces
For photos and videos of the event, please click on the links below for downloadable content.
Delivering the Father’s Day cards to T. Don Hutto guards - video
Additional photos available for use - X X X X X X
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Grassroots Leadership is a Texas-based national organization that works for a more just society where prison profiteering, mass incarceration, deportation, and criminalization are things of the past.
