US Senate Must Reject Bill To Jail Migrant Families Indefinitely - Rights Group

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th September, 2018) US Congress must reject a new bill proposed by Senator Ron Johnson that would make it easier for the government to jail migrant families indefinitely, American Civil Liberties Union Deputy Political Director Lorella Praeli said in a press release.

"Johnson's bill would bolster President Trump's anti-immigrant agenda by jailing families indefinitely, expanding prisons and deportation agents without accountability, and threatening children's lives by eradicating hard-fought legal protections for their safety," Praeli said on Wednesday. "It would even give the government enormous leeway to continue separating families who should remain together.

Senators must resoundingly reject this bill or face voters' backlash in November."

Earlier in the day, according to the release, Johnson proposed legislation that would allow the Department of Homeland Security to self-inspect family detention centers and end a settlement agreement that curbed the ability of US authorities to detain migrant families.

The bill would also make it easier to hire and retain Federal border agents instead of ensuring accountability after recent misconduct that has resulted in multiple deaths, the release said.