As conveners of Vera Institute of Justice’s SAFE Network, we are proud to partner with 18 jurisdictions that are moving forward sensible, humane, and dignified measures that protect the health and safety of the most vulnerable members of our society, including funding programs that ensure legal representation for their immigrant community members in ICE detention.

Today, as cases of COVID-19 are reported in detention centers across the country, immigration detention may quickly become a death sentence for many. Local deportation defense programs, like those advanced through the SAFE Network, are critical to securing release for immigrants in detention and are needed more than ever. We come together in this moment, as a network, to call for all immigration enforcement action to be halted and for everyone in ICE custody to be released, immediately prioritizing those who are particularly vulnerable.

Conditions in detention create high risk for rapid spread of the virus. On top of the risk of permanent family separation and the forced return to dangerous conditions in another country, our communities’ immigrants are acutely facing the rising public health risk because of the continuation of irresponsible federal immigration enforcement. As more people are needlessly brought into detention, the threat to immigrants, staff, and communities only compounds, deepening the crisis. The stakes for detained immigrants are higher than ever.

The health and lives of all our community members are at stake. We know that we are all stronger, safer and healthier when we come together in moments of crisis in support of the most vulnerable among us.