05.17.07
T. Don Hutto Update
Last we heard of T. Don Hutto was that UN Inspector Jorge Bustamante was not allowed to visit the lock-up. A visit that was scheduled prior to his trip to the United States to prepare a report on the treatment of immigrants here. He was also denied access to a facility in New Jersey last week.
Mr. Bustamante is not happy, and rightly so, and is taking action.
In a letter to the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Zalmay Khalilzad, Bustamante complained that planned visits to the T. Don Hutto Family Detention Center in Texas, and the Monmouth County Correctional Institution had been canceled without explanation and in violation of U.N. protocol.
“Both these visits were part of the approved itinerary agreed with the government of the United States,” Bustamante stated in the letter. “In neither case has the (U.S.) Government consulted me on the changes, or provided any explanation of the necessity for such cancellation.”
A spokeswoman for the Monmouth County jail told the Herald News on Monday that Bustamante’s visit had not occurred because he hadn’t agreed to their terms, though she declined to say what they were. A spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Jamie Zuieback, backed up that claim on Wednesday, though she also declined to say what the terms of the visit were.
Zuieback said Bustamante was offered; “the opportunity to visit a number of detention facilities, including any of our ICE service processing centers.” She said he had chosen only to visit a facility in Arizona.
Bustamante continued calling the claims that he canceled the visits “a lie,” and vowed to pursue the issue with government officials.
It’s one thing to hide what’s going on from local media, as well as local and state politicians, but didn’t we supposedly go to war because somebody wouldn’t let the UN Inspector’s in? The movement against the T. Don Hutto family lock-up, and all those like it, continues to grow. Amnesty International will sponsor the next vigil in at the facility in Taylor, Amnesty International Hosts Hutto Vigil IX: Metroplex Coalition Forms.
It’s official. It’s exciting. It’s moving. It will be history making…
Amnesty International is sponsoring Hutto Vigil IX. Following that lead is an assortment of organizations that will be supporting and participating in that vigil.
June 23rd is the selected date. It is the Saturday after the International Day of the Refugee. So mark your calendars. We have over a month to make our personal and organizational plans.
Tomorrow LULAC National will hold a press conference in San Antonio to make official their participation.
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A coalition of organizations from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex CAFHTA has already announced their participation. You can read their announcement [here].
Thanks to all those involved an keep up the good work.