Quotes & Media Coverage
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Reuters: US Lawyer for Venezuelans Held in El Salvador Says Government Denied Her Access To Clients
Tags Share During a press conference in El Salvador, human rights advocate Kerry Kennedy condemned the Salvadoran government for denying legal access to clients, including over 250 Venezuelans deported from the U.S. to a maximum-security prison under a controversial agreement. Reuters has reported Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, criticized President Nayib Bukele’s administration for…
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The Boston Globe: ICE is holding a Tufts PhD student at a Louisiana facility. Here’s what it’s like inside.
Tags Share The Boston Globe has reported that court filings, media coverage, and firsthand accounts reveal grim conditions inside the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center—known as Basile—where Tufts PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk is detained after expressing pro-Palestinian views. Öztürk’s case has drawn national attention and echoes widespread reports of inadequate medical care, unsanitary conditions, and…
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Associated Press: Civil rights groups sue to restore jobs at Homeland Security oversight offices that were gutted
Tags Share Three advocacy groups are suing the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem, seeking to restore staff jobs at three gutted offices that oversee civil rights protections across the department’s broad mission. The lawsuit was filed Thursday by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization, the Southern Border Communities Coalition, and the Urban Justice Center. On March…
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The AP: As Immigrant Arrests Surge, Complaints of Abuse Mount At America’s Oldest Detention Center In Miami
Tags Share The United States’ oldest immigration detention facility has a long history of abuse – a history that shows no signs of abating amid the Trump administration’s increased efforts to detain and deport immigrants. The Associated Press reports on inhumane conditions and overcrowding at Krome Detention Center in Miami, highlighting the lack of accountability for…
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New York Times: Lawsuit Aims to Reverse Firings at Internal Oversight Offices Within D.H.S.
Tags Share An assortment of advocacy groups filed a lawsuit on Thursday aimed at stopping the Department of Homeland Security from permanently shuttering its internal oversight divisions after the Trump administration fired critical staff members, grinding operations to a halt. The lawsuit was filed in New York and brought by Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights,…
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Bloomberg Government: Homeland Agency’s Dismantling of Oversight Units Draws Lawsuit
Tags Share Immigrants’ rights groups, including Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, filed a federal lawsuit Thursday challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s dismantling key oversight offices. According to Bloomberg Government, the suit accuses DHS of violating the Constitution and federal law by shuttering its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and related teams. These…
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Katonah-Lewisboro School District: Five John Jay students attend Young Women’s Leadership Summit
Tags Share Five John Jay students attended the Young Women’s Leadership Summit at Manhattanville University, where they explored human rights, education inequality, and community action. RFK Human Rights President Kerry Kennedy gave a powerful keynote address, inspiring students to lead with purpose and make a difference in their communities. Students described the event as empowering…
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KLSD News: Five John Jay students attend Young Women’s Leadership Summit
Tags Share Five John Jay High School students from the Katonah-Lewisboro School District recently participated in the Young Women’s Leadership Summit at Manhattanville University. Nominated by the school’s Counseling Center, these ninth through eleventh graders engaged in discussions on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The summit featured a…
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News12 Westchester: Summit to empower young women held at Manhattanville University
Tags Share A special summit was held Wednesday at Manhattanville University to empower young women to create change in their communities. Learn more here.
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Washington Post: Khalil ruling tests Trump deportation tactic of sending detainees to Louisiana
Tags Share Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil was deemed eligible for deportation just three days after his first court hearing, prompting due process concerns from his attorneys. The Trump administration alleges Khalil, a legal U.S. resident, poses a national security threat due to his role in pro-Palestinian protests. Advocates say the case reflects a broader strategy…
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VT Digger: Nikhil Goyal and Kerry Kennedy: Vermont can show that we can be smart on crime by treating youth like youth
Tags Share In a recent VTDigger commentary, Founder of RFK Human rights Kerry Kennedy and sociologist Nikhil Goyal highlight Vermont’s progressive juvenile justice reforms, particularly the “Raise the Age” law. This legislation allows individuals under age 20 to be tried in juvenile court for certain offenses, emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment. The authors argue that such…
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WBUR: Poor conditions at Louisiana ICE detention center holding Tufts student, advocates say
Tags Share WBUR has reported, former detainees have described punitive and unsanitary conditions at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, where a Turkish Tufts University student, Öztürk, is being held. In an August 2024 report, Anthony Enriquez—vice president of U.S. advocacy and litigation at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights—warned that Öztürk faces the…
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