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For Immediate Release Press contact: Miguel Ayala |
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(Washington D.C.)- Today the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), with the release of a House Committee on Homeland Security report, condemned the attempted cover-up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) senior officials, relating to evidence of racist and inappropriate activities during an office Halloween party. The party was attended by those same Senior ICE officials. “These actions are completely deplorable and inappropriate,” said Congressman Joe Baca, Chair of the CHC. “In an environment where we are fighting similar racist actions on college campuses across the country, we would hope that our government offices would be a model to hold up for our young people. Instead, senior officials are giving out awards for ‘most original costume’ to someone in blackface make-up at a party.” The House Committee on Homeland Security today released a report (PDF) detailing the events around the party, and the attempt by Assistant Secretary Julie Myers to cover up the pictures of the event. The report states that an employee dressed in prison garb, dreadlock wig and skin-darkening makeup arrived at the judge’s table, stating, “I’m a Jamaican detainee from Krome, obviously, I’ve escaped.” The judges responded with laughter, according to the report. Krome is an ICE detention facility located in Miami, Florida, with detainees primarily from Haiti, Jamaica, and Latin America. The facility has been subject to many allegations of sexual abuse, overcrowding, and mistreatment of detainees. (###) |
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The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is comprised of Members of Congress of Hispanic descent. Since 1976 the CHC has been addressing the needs of the Hispanic community in all areas of American life. For more information on the CHC, call (202) 225-2410. |
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