With a fanfare of news conferences and Spanish-language television and newspaper ads, U.S. authorities last week started giving 457,000 illegal immigrants a chance to turn themselves in without the usual threat of arrest and detention.Three accepted.
"This is a silly idea. Anybody that wants to self deport can self deport. They just drive across the border or hop on a plane," said Joshua Hoyt, the executive director of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights. "It's another one of these fantasy ideas of the political season." Read more…
Instead of making strides to repair an ailing immigration system, or ensuring humane detention conditions for those in its custody, Immigration, Customs, and Enforcement has introduced a plan so absurd, even its die-hard fans are stumped. ICE to immigrants: "Please Deport Yourselves." Today marked the first full day of the pilot program in Chicago, yet (surprise, surprise) not a single person volunteered for deportation. Read more…
The lack of response only reinforced doubts about an idea that has drawn criticism and even ridicule from both sides of the immigration debate. Read more…
ICIRR) condemns the recently announced Operation Scheduled Departure. Chicago is one of the 5 pilot cities for the operation. Joshua Hoyt, ICIRR Executive Director, said, “This is a publicity stunt by ICE to put a happy face to the brutal actions that have broken many families apart.” Read more…
