Quotes & Media Coverage
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The Guardian: Female migrant in Florida subjected to ‘horrific’ treatment, complaint alleges
Tags Share A recent civil rights complaint alleges abuse and neglect at a Florida immigration detention center. A woman detained in a facility with a long history of allegations of mistreatment, identified only as Ana in the report, detailed extensive mental and sexual abuse. “Ana came to Baker vulnerable and in need, and officers responded…
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Kerry Kennedy on CNN: “It’s the job of all of us as Americans to find ways to heal the divisions within our country.”
Tags Share This morning on CNN, Kerry Kennedy emphasized the need for all Americans to find compassion and understanding in the aftermath of the election. She expresses hope that people will rebuild community and will continue to preserve and protect our democracy. Watch the full clip here.
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Coalition of Immokalee Workers: “A true force of nature”: CIW pays tribute to Ethel Kennedy at extraordinary memorial ceremony in Washington, DC
Tags Share The Coalition of Immokalee Workers published a touching tribute to our founder, Ethel Skakel Kennedy. Mrs. Kennedy joined the CIW in the fight against the exploitation and abuse of farm workers. In 2003 the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award went to three CIW leaders — Lucas Benitez, Julia Gabriel, and Romeo Ramirez…
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Bloomberg: Thousands of detainees have been jammed into jails Biden vowed to close
Tags Share This new report from Bloomberg details the abuse of asylum seekers within U.S immigration detention facilities. Despite legislation intending to scale down incarceration, some previously closed facilities have reopened to serve as immigration detention centers, often run by for profit companies. Individuals in these facilities face punitive conditions and lack access to translation,…
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Verite News: Lack of translation services pervasive in Louisiana immigration detention, advocates say
Tags Share A recent RFKHR report showed a “systematic denial of language access” that prevented asylum seekers from receiving protections and violated detainee’s rights and blocked their access to medical and legal services at Winn Correctional Center. Now, advocates say that language access issues stretch beyond that one facility and across the state of Louisiana…
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Lohud: New York man deported to Haiti, though he’s not a Haitian citizen, tells his story
Tags Share Paul Pierrilus details his harrowing experience being deported to Haiti, despite not ever having set foot in the country, in a new Lohud report. RFKHR Staff Attorney Sarah Decker spoke with Lohud about Pierrilus’ situation. “The pardon could help open a pathway for Pierrilus to receive humanitarian parole because his current situation…
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Verite News: Louisiana immigration lockup fails to provide translation services for detainees, complaint alleges
Tags Share A new federal civil rights complaint filed by RFKHR in tandem with other rights groups alleges widespread denial of interpreter and translation services to individuals detained in a Louisiana immigration facility. This lack of access has serious consequences for these individuals, who cannot adequately prepare for their immigration cases, understand crucial legal and…
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NBC News: States consider banning legacy admissions at universities, sparking debate
Tags Share An August 30 NBC News segment—featuring former John Lewis Young Leaders fellow and Cornell University student Jonathan Lam—highlighted states’ recent moves to prohibit legacy admissions. Last year, shockwaves were sent through college campuses when the Supreme Court overturned affirmative action in admissions decisions. After the Supreme Court’s decision, Lam, along with Cornell’s ACLU chapter,…
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Voice of America: Bangladeshi families look to commission for answers on enforced disappearances
Tags Share With the Bangladeshi interim government’s announcement of a new commission to investigate enforced disappearances during the former Prime Minister’s term, families hope they can finally find closure and seek justice. Over the course of PM Sheikh Hasina’s 15 years in power, more than 700 people went missing with dozens still not found. The…
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New report highlights shocking abuses faced by migrants in ICE detention centers in Louisiana
Tags Share A new RFK Human Rights report featured in Bloomberg highlights shocking abuses faced by migrants in ICE detention centers in Louisiana: “We see these jails almost as ‘black sites’ in the national immigration system… The existence of these facilities in Louisiana cannot be maintained. This entire network of jails must be shut down,”…
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Axios: Michael Brown killing met with mixed changes nearly 10 years later
Tags Share A decade since Michael Brown was killed by a Ferguson, MI police officer, our SVP of Programs and Legal Strategy Wade McMullen spoke to Axios about how he hopes the recent hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights will lead to a renewed pursuit for accountability. “(It) can add more fuel and…
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Federal Civil Rights Complaint Demands Investigation into Abuse Against Hunger Strikers at New York ICE Jail
Tags Share RFK Human Rights filed a civil rights complaint in collaboration with partner institutions against New York State’s largest immigration detention facility, Buffalo Federal Detention Facility (BFDF), after staff unfairly retaliated against detained individuals who engaged in a peaceful hunger strike to protest the facility’s excessive use of solitary confinement. In a statement provided…
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