Quotes & Media Coverage
-
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…
-
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…
-
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,…
-
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…
-
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,”…
-
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…
-
10 years after Michael Brown’s death, his mother is still fighting for justice
Tags Share Michael Brown’s mother is still seeking justice 10 years after her son’s death. The August 8 issue of NPR’s Morning Edition featured testimony that Brown’s mother, Lezley McSpadden, provided in an appeal to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
-
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…
-
Michael Brown’s Mother Seeks Justice at International Human Rights Hearing
Tags Share Mike Brown’s mother, Lesley McSpadden, joined attorneys from RFK Human Rights and the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center to testify at an IACHR hearing on July 10. As St. Louis Public Radio reports, this is the first time the commission has held a hearing about an individual case of police violence in the…
-
Michael Brown’s Mom Pushes for Justice for Son in Public Hearing
Tags Share As the 10 year anniversary of Mike Brown’s death at the hands of Ferguson police approaches, his family is still seeking justice. On July 10th, Brown’s mother testified at an IACHR hearing to petition the commision to recommend that United States prosecutors criminally litigate Brown’s killing. As ABC reports, Kerry Kennedy said at…
-
Watchdog organizations expose state censorship strategies in Latin America before IACHR
Tags Share In a July 8 hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), representatives of 25 civil society organizations—including Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights—detailed how some repressive Latin American regimes are attempting to suppress political opposition and censor criticism, according to LatAm Journalism Review. According to the representatives, state strategies to dismantle rule…
-
HRE USA podcast features Human Rights Education director Karen Robinson
Tags Share Our program director of Human Rights Education, Karen Robinson, appeared on episodes 33–35 of the Human Rights Education NOW! podcast to discuss her journey into human rights education, her current work at RFK Human Rights, the potential for human rights to be incorporated into any area of education, and how she maintains hope…
Share