Demonstrations took place across the country marking 20 years of harm by ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and Customs and Border Protection. Organizers are calling for an end to government funding for the agencies, which over the past two decades have systematically targeted immigrants, Muslims and communities of color, using surveillance, detention, torture, military occupation and inhumane immigration policies. This is Dr. Maha Hilal from the Muslim Counterpublics Lab speaking at Wednesday’s protest in D.C.
Maha Hilal: ”DHS has surveilled, detained, tortured and punished communities with draconian immigration laws. … DHS has also targeted Black Lives Matter activists, created and spearheaded a Countering Violent Extremism program to target Muslim communities, … tearing families apart, putting people in cages and executing foreign nationals across the border.”