The "Families First Immigration Enforcement Act of 2010” calls for U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to give state agencies
advanced notice before an immigration raid so they can provide
translators for the detainees.
The Kerry bill would also require ICE to check detainees to see if any
should be released on the grounds that they are too sick, too old,
pregnant or nursing, or fall under other vulnerable groups.
A third provision of the bill requires illegal immigrants to be detained
near their local ICE office – space permitting – to prevent them from
being sent hundreds of miles away from their families.
Kerry said ICE raids across the country, including a 2007 raid in his
home state of Massachusetts where 360 workers were detained, triggered
reports of detainee mistreatment, families being broken apart, and
social and legal services being unavailable.
"This bill represents the humane approach needed to allow ICE to enforce
the law without inflicting undue pain and suffering,” Kerry said in a
statement Tuesday. "I've heard way too many stories about detainees
being denied medical care, or access to a dependent child, elderly
parent, or translator. There is no excuse for violations of basic human
rights.
"Every person should be treated with common decency while we continue
the fight for comprehensive immigration reform,” he added.
At Boston’s Fenway Park, Napolitano and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas joined 5,200 new citizens from
nearly 150 countries in celebration of Constitution Day and Citizenship
Day.
"I am proud to welcome these men and women who have come from all over
the world to become the newest citizens of our nation,” Napolitano said
in a statement. "Our social, economic, and civic vitality needs the
contributions, the perspectives, and the experiences of all
Americans—including our newest Americans.”