CONTEXT AND STATEMENT OF PROTEST
Shared with IFCLA by a companion who lives and works in Arizona. Edited by IFCLA team
Looking for the Spanish version? ¿Buscas la version en espanol? Leela aqui. Read the full The Intercept article here. Read and share IFCLA’s inforgraphic here.
Introductory Letter and statement for action:
Fellow companions in the fight for migrant justice:
We are writing to encourage you to take action concerning the recent disturbing news of Ajo Border Patrol holding migrants penned outside in the Arizona heat. Read more here.
We urge you to call, text, tweet and/or email your legislators to stand up for migrants and insist that that Ajo Border Patrol put a stop to these inhumane, violent conditions. The following is a Statement of Protest that you can speak word by word, or use as a jumping off point for your own demands. Following the statement of Protest is a list of contacts of where to send these calls, texts, tweets and/or emails.
Statement of Protest:
I am absolutely horrified to learn that migrants who have been detained at the Ajo Border Patrol station are being caged outdoors in the life-threatening heat, reportedly due to a lack of space. Temperatures have consistently topped 110° F over the past several weeks. Even the stop-gap measures such as fans and canopies are inadequate to protect their health and safety. This inhumane treatment of migrants is a violation of their basic human rights. You must put a stop to this immediately!
Border Patrol leadership has created a situation that has led to extreme physical endangerment and abuse. The lack of resources - indoor processing centers, adequate food and water - equates to neglect and has created a potentially deadly situation for the detained migrants.
While I stand against the indiscriminate detainment of those seeking asylum, refuge or opportunity under all circumstances, I especially condemn these practices in the context of extreme weather conditions. I demand the immediate provision of adequate food, water and access to indoor temperature-controlled shelter during processing. Under no circumstance should people be made to wait outdoors.
Name, Resident of the State of _____
Contact Information:
Arizona Legislative District 23 including (Ajo):
Brian Fernandez, State Senator
Email: bfernandez@azleg.gov | Phone: (602) 926-3098 | Twitter: @BrianSFernandez
Sandoval, State Representative
Email: msandoval@azleg.gov | Phone: (602) 926-3740 | Twitter: @Sandoval For AZ
Peña, State Representative:
Email: mpena@azleg.gov | Phone: (602) 926-3696 | Twitter: @Michele57154306
US Senators for all Arizonans:
Krysten Sinema, US Senator:
Email: www.sinema.senate.gov/contact-kyrsten/ | Phone: (202) 224-4521 | Twitter: @SenatorSinema
Mark Kelly, US Senator:
Email: https://www.kelly.senate.gov/contact/contact-form/ | Phone: (202) 224-2235
Twitter: @SenMarkKelly
Raul Grijalva, US Representative
Email: https://grijalva.house.gov/ | Phone: (202) 225-2435 |Twitter: @RepRaulGrihjalva
Joel Garcia, patrol Agent in Charge of Ajo Border Patrol
Email: JOEL.D.GARCIA@CBP.DHS.GOV | Phone: (520) 387-7002