Our families and neighbors are being attacked and kidnapped by the Federal government's mass deportation machine, causing fear and instability in our communities. The Henderson Police Department voluntarily collaborates with ICE and has an active agreement to maintain bed space for ICE detainees. The Henderson Detention Center is one of only three ICE detention facilities in Nevada and a lynchpin of ICE efforts to detain and deport our neighbors. In addition, Henderson's current policy asks untrained police officers to turn people over to ICE based on their suspicion of someone being undocumented – regardless of whether they have been convicted of a crime or not, even if charges are dropped. This is an invitation for racial profiling and gives the community a good reason to distrust Henderson.

Our local law enforcement should not be doing the federal government’s job. Federal immigration enforcement is not the responsibility of our state, counties, or cities, and it is well-documented that these types of programs can lead to increased racial profiling, distrust in law enforcement, and be a financial burden to localities that enter into these agreements. At a time when our state is grappling with the economic downturn, it is critical that we assess what is costing us more money and not actually benefiting the broader community. We know that the Nevada Department of Corrections is already facing a budget deficit due to its overtime costs and overcrowding.

Help us send a message to your Henderson City Council member and demand that the agreement be rescinded to save taxpayers' money, strengthen community trust, and help keep Nevada families together.