Press Releases

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) released the following statement after a Florida judge ruled to effectively shut down the Everglades Immigrant Detention Center:

“The Everglades immigrant internment camp is a testament to cruelty, waste, and corruption. It needs to be closed. Thanks to pressure by fellow Democrats in our Congressional delegation and legal plaintiffs — like the Miccosukee Tribe, Friends of the Everglades, and the Center for Biological Diversity — a judge has agreed that this grotesque political stunt should be shut down.

“Last night’s ruling is a victory for the Everglades, and it blunts the reckless environmental threat this facility poses. We all agree violent criminals must be deported, but the racial and ethnic profiling that triggered this facility’s creation goes on and must be stopped. Until it is, I’ll keep pushing for due process and human rights to be honored and for an end to the cruel conditions at detention facilities like this across our state and nation.”

In Spanish:

“El campo de internamiento de inmigrantes de los Everglades es un testimonio de crueldad, despilfarro y corrupción. Necesita ser cerrado. Gracias a la presión de los compañeros demócratas en nuestra delegación del Congreso y los demandantes legales, como la tribu Miccosukee, Friends of the Everglades y el Centro para la Diversidad Biológica, un juez acordó que este grotesco truco político debe cerrarse.

“El fallo de anoche es una victoria para los Everglades y mitiga la imprudente amenaza ambiental que representa esta instalación. Todos estamos de acuerdo en que los delincuentes violentos deben ser deportados, pero la discriminación racial y étnica que desencadenó la creación de esta instalación continúa y debe detenerse. Hasta que lo sea, seguiré presionando para que se respete el debido proceso y los derechos humanos y para que se ponga fin a las crueles condiciones en centros de detención como este en todo nuestro estado y nación.”

Rep. Wasserman Schultz recently demanded clarity from the Department of Homeland Security on the state of the facility, and leads the No Cages in the Everglades Act which would prevent similar facilities from being constructed in the Everglades in the future.

Downloadable video of Rep. Wasserman Schultz’s reaction to the ruling can be found here.

Downloadable video of the press conference Rep. Wasserman Schultz’s tour of the facility can be found here.

####