In a sharp rebuke from Geneva, the United Nations Human Rights Council has condemned repeated mistreatment in US immigration enforcement. High Commissioner Volker Türk issued a stark warning, emphasizing that migrants and refugees deserve respect for their human dignity and due process rights.
Türk highlighted how many detained individuals lack timely legal counsel or effective means to challenge their detention and deportation decisions. He urged the United States to align its immigration policies with international standards of humanity and fairness.
Concerns escalated over deaths in ICE custody, with at least 30 reported last year and six more this year alone. Türk demanded independent, transparent investigations into these tragic incidents.
Recent violence underscores the tensions. On January 7, an ICE agent in Minneapolis fatally shot a 37-year-old US citizen during a federal operation. Just a week later, another agent killed a Venezuelan migrant in the same area, sparking public outrage.
Protests have intensified. Around 100 clergy members were arrested at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for blocking roads in Terminal 1. Organized by Faith in Minnesota, demonstrators called on airlines like Delta and Signature Aviation to halt cooperation with ICE deportation flights.
The group revealed that approximately 2,000 people have been deported from the airport, and ICE has arrested 12 airport staff. Clergy led prayers, sang hymns, and shared stories of those in custody, amplifying calls for reform amid a growing humanitarian crisis at the border.