FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Rafael Benavides, media@mifamiliavota.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Hector Sanchez Barba, President and CEO of Mi Familia Vota, issued the following statement in response to ICE's decision to temporarily cease all non-urgent vehicle stops until further notice:

"ICE's decision to discontinue non-urgent vehicle stops until further notice is a step in the right direction, but it only comes after public outcry for two ICE killings in one week and months of chaos, fear and trauma inflicted on immigrant families and communities by Donald Trump’s extreme immigration enforcement policies.

“For too long, aggressive enforcement tactics have terrorized neighborhoods, separated families, undermined public trust, and, in far too many cases, resulted in unnecessary injuries and deaths.

"Today’s announcement is an acknowledgment that the administration’s enforcement practices have created unacceptable risks to public safety. But a temporary operational change cannot undo the damage already done, nor can it substitute for meaningful accountability or lasting reform.

"Congress must require by statute independent and transparent investigations whenever immigration enforcement uses deadly force. ICE must immediately strengthen and enforce de-escalation policies, require the standardized use of body cameras during enforcement operations, preserve and promptly release evidence after critical incidents, and ensure meaningful oversight to hold agents who violate the public's trust accountable.

"Time and again, it has been community members and independent recordings, not official DHS accounts, that have exposed the truth about these deadly encounters. Transparency is not optional; it is essential to accountability and to protecting our constitutional rights.

"This decision is a welcome first step, but it cannot be the last. We will continue fighting for policies that protect human life, uphold due process, restore trust, and ensure that no community is forced to live under the constant threat of fear, intimidation, and unnecessary violence."

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About Mi Familia Vota
Mi Familia Vota’s mission is to mobilize Latino power through year-round activation of the electorate and investment in local infrastructure, to advance our community’s policy priorities. Mi Familia Vota is fighting for a future where Latino voices shape and advance policies that promote the health, safety and prosperity of Latino communities across the country.