LETTER FROM OUR CEO: “THE FIGHT FOR OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITY CONTINUES”

Dear Friends:

Throughout National Hispanic Heritage Month, it is important that we celebrate and recognize the contributions and influence of Hispanic people to the history, culture and resilience of our communities. While Operation Restoration actively engages in anti-bias work to cultivate inclusivity and diversity within our organization, our carceral system continues to view and treat our Hispanic community as less than people.

According to a 108-page report from immigrants’ rights groups, the United States maintains the world’s largest immigrant incarceration regime, imprisoning an average of over 35,000 people a day. More than 6,000 of those people are detained in Louisiana, the second-largest state for immigrant detention, only behind Texas.

The August 2024 report states that inside these jails, New Orleans Immigration and Customs Enforcement (NOLA ICE) officials consistently violate human and civil rights, using punitive conditions for prolonged periods of time, sometimes for years. The report alleges that jails are incentivized to cut costs by understaffing facilities, paying subminimum wages for custodial and other labor services and denying sufficient food, clothing and medical care, among other abuses. 

We must do our part and demand that our justice system prioritize people over profit.

This Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond, I implore you to act and educate yourself and others about ICE practices and resources. Please consider using your voice to amplify the stories of detained immigrants and share the work of grassroots organizations like Familias Unidas En Acción, an organization fiscally sponsored by OR, that empowers communities and families by creating initiatives to  fight against hate, injustice, and social discrimination.

These actions, whether big or small, can help bring more awareness to these unjust practices and create permanent, positive change that will save lives.

In Solidarity,

Syrita Steib

Founder, President & CEO

Operation Restoration