🧵THREAD: We joined with the @bailfundnetwork & its 32 member funds as well as the @HispanicCaucus to ask @DHSgov to open the online bond payment portal for families & community organizations to pay bond for immigrants in detention.
While we continue to advocate for the release of everyone in ICE detention, release and parole has been slow to nonexistent, family members and community bond funds are working around the clock to release individuals through the payment of bond.
During the #COVID19 pandemic, asking family members & community bond fund volunteers to continue to post bond in-person defies all public health advice.
In the past week, members of the @bailfundnetwork have had to deal with office closures in NYC, Miami & southern California.
In almost all locations, folks (including RAICES' Bond Squad) who go post bond have had to ignore stay at home orders, go against social distancing guidelines in waiting rooms, and wear safety equipment.
And we know that bond funds are in a privileged position as we can support each other (when the NYC office closed, Boston & NJ folks posted for them), while individuals & families just get turned away while their families remain in detention.
We know that @DHSgov has long had an online bond payment portal for commercial bail bond companies.
This system must be made available to ALL those who are posting bond to free individuals.
With your help we can continue to urge @DHSgov to remotely process bond payments through its eBond system so that families & community bond funds can follow social distancing guidance when paying for a detained individual’s bond.
There is no time to waste. Tweet at your representatives by using this handy tool we created 👇🏾 and demand they take action to provide eBond access for immigrant families NOW.
Let's keep families #SafeAndTogether & #FreeThemAll
raicestexas.org/2020/04/02/dem…
And after you do that consider supporting the #COVID19 Emergency Response Fund for Community Bail & Bond Funds.
Your contribution will be distributed across the 60+ community bail & bond funds of the @bailfundnetwork. 👇🏾
secure.actblue.com/donate/bailfun…
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