And the Campaign-Urbana and New York chapters shared how their chapters’ work on pretrial bail reform and parole justice have driven home for them the extreme negative impact that being “separated from a supportive community has on a person’s life and well being.” Champaign-Urbana leaders also noted:
“...our criminal legal system is too often seen as disconnected from the immigrant detention system but we know how sprawling the ‘crimmigration’ system has become and our work in our state has shown us this first hand as well.”
This values-aligned work is part of what motivates these Bend the Arc chapters to call for cuts to immigrant detention funding and investments in programs that will actually welcome immigrants with dignity. Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Champaign-Urbana members were also able to raise the issues in their letter with Sen. Durbin (D-IL) directly.
