ACLU Comment on Raids of Central American Families in United States

NEW YORK — The American Civil Liberties Union condemns Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson’s statement today that the Obama administration will continue its raids targeting families who have come to the U.S. after fleeing violence in Central America.

Cecillia Wang, director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said:

“These raids are a scare tactic to deter other families fleeing violence in Central America from coming to the United States. Secretary Johnson has himself admitted the raids are designed to deport as many as possible, as quickly as possible. The administration is doubling down on a system that is rigged against these families. Many of these mothers and children had no lawyers because they could not afford them. Without counsel, traumatized refugees don’t understand what is happening in court and cannot get their legitimate asylum claims heard.”