Washington, DC—The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, applauded the introduction of the “Protect Citizens and Residents from Unlawful Raids and Detention Act" (S. 3594) by Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA). This proposal would establish minimum standards of due process and treatment for U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and immigrants who are detained in raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía hailed the legislation’s introduction, calling it a timely response to a situation that has become a crisis. “The evidence that ICE is running roughshod over the basic rights of the people it comes into contact with has become overwhelming,” she said. “America’s commitment to the rule of law and to fundamental human decency is very much at stake.”

Specifically, the legislation would:

• Extend basic rights to those caught up in immigration raids, such as by providing notification of immigration charges and access to counsel
• Require ICE to implement regulations that ensure humane treatment of detainees
• Promote “alternatives to immigration detention” programs that are both more cost-effective than penal-style detention and also more humane
• Create an ICE ombudsman to investigate complaints and establish agency accountability
• Provide protections to ensure that ICE worksite raids do not undermine employment law investigations

The “Protect Citizens and Residents from Unlawful Raids and Detention Act” reflects recommendations made in Paying the Price: The Impact of Immigration Raids on America’s Children, a recent report by the National Council of La Raza and the Urban Institute. This report documents the impact of ICE worksite enforcement raids on children, schools, and communities.

“I congratulate Senators Menendez and Kennedy for taking this important step forward to ensure that immigration laws are fairly and wisely enforced,” concluded Murguía. “It is important that the nation maintains its commitment to the rule of law by enforcing immigration laws in a manner which upholds America’s most cherished values.”