WASHINGTON, DC — Today, FWD.us President Todd Schulte issued the following statement on the announcement by DHS that they will be terminating their contracts with the Irwin and Bristol detention facilities:

“Today’s decision by DHS to terminate the ICE contracts at Irwin and Bristol detention facilities is an important step toward improving the inhumane immigration detention system. The Trump Administration weaponized a long broken immigration system that was built by both Democratic and Republican administrations, but today’s action gives hope to the opportunity for a new approach. The extreme human costs of incarceration couldn’t be clearer, and the harm inflicted on so many, particularly in these two facilities is a reminder of why decarceration efforts are so vital. We thank the years of organizing by community groups, organizers, activists, and especially those unjustly detained which have led to this moment, and call on the Biden Administration to continue to enact changes to our immigration system that promote dignity, fairness, and humanity.”