February Newsletter
FEBRUARY, BY THE NUMBERS
While February was a slightly slower month than January, we still spent $319,000 on bonds, and helped 36 people get home. Our average bond was $8,861.
This is a little lower than our year-to-date average bond, which is still over $10,000.
You’ll notice that our numbers may vary a little bit, month-to-month, or may not line up with our weekly reporting. This is because of ICE’s poor communication, and the lag between us paying a bond and someone actually getting out of detention. There are a few folks whose bonds we paid at the very end of January who weren’t counted in that month’s wrap-up because we weren’t sure if they had been released—and there are a few folks whose bonds we paid yesterday who, likewise, have yet to come home.
FEBRUARY TREND REPORT
Map, published by the New York Times, showing the location of existing and proposed warehouse detention centers.
Detention is Expanding
This month, we paid bonds for people held in several new-to-us detention centers across the country, and we know from reporting in the New York Times that ICE is working on buying up warehouses across the country with detention capacity of thousands. If you’re wondering how you can get involved, our colleagues at Detention Watch Network have put together an incredible guide to fighting these sites in your community.
Immigration Legal Fraud
With a lack of access to bond hearings, a growing need to file habeas corpus petitions to secure freedom, we are seeing increasing amounts of immigration fraud - people representing themselves as legal experts or attorneys, promising help to families, only to take their hope and steal their money.We prepared guides, in English and Spanish, to help protect yourself against immigration legal fraud.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you’re reading this email before midnight on February 28, you still have time to donate to us and have your donation matched!
A generous donor is matching all donations up to $50,000, and we are almost at our goal — help us get there?
If you’re reading this after February 28th, donate anyways—we are a mutual aid, abolitionary fund, and every little bit helps us get someone out of ICE detention.
If you’re dodging ice and snow banks to get your runs in (or waiting for spring to start your couch-to-5k journey!) join our Running for Freedom fundraiser in time for spring races!
Set a goal, join our team, and compete against other runners across the Midwest to raise money to get people free.