Women’s Refugee Commission Reacts to ICE Raids

Washington, DC – The Washington Post reports that last week, immigration authorities arrested 680 individuals who were in the United States without valid documentation in a sweep of raids in over a dozen states. This marks President Trump’s first widespread crackdown on immigrants. While U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) initially claimed that 75% of those arrested were criminals, they admitted when pressed that anyone who was in the U.S. illegally qualified for arrest, a profile that fits over 11 million people in the United States.'

The Women’s Refugee Commission stands against these enforcement efforts, as they target more than those with criminal convictions. President Trump’s Executive Order has made everyone a priority, even those seeking protection.

According to Michelle Brané, Director of the Migrants Rights and Justice Program at WRC:

“We are concerned that these actions are causing panic in the community and putting women and children and especially vulnerable women and children seeking protection, at risk. Migrant women and children, and immigrants in general, who are victims of crime or abuse are afraid to go to the authorities. Children fear going to school as they worry they will be picked up, or that their mothers will be taken while they are away.

Raids and these kinds of indiscriminate enforcement operations terrorize and traumatize children and tear families apart. President Trump and ICE are criminalizing the entire immigrant population to the detriment of us all.”

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For more information contact: Michelle Brané, MichelleB@wrcommission.orgTessa Wiseman, tessa@newpartners.com