Bending the Arc

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes has always responded in our own times to those whose faith life and human dignity is threatened. This is absolutely one of those times for the moral voice of religious sisters to be expressed - and heard.

By now, you’ve probably heard of Alligator Alcatraz, a highly controversial migrant detention facility in the Florida Everglades put up a little over a week ago. Some compare it to Nazi concentration camps with steel cages and horrific conditions. Some politicians have laughed at the idea of alligators eating immigrants, calling them “gator bait,” while others are proudly profiting from selling Alligator Alcatraz merchandise. All this while human beings are suffering. The Archdiocese of Miami is condemning the facility, calling it "unbecoming of public officials” and “corrosive of the common good.”

Detainees are locked in cages inside tents. They are reporting swarms of massive mosquitos, maggots in their food, bright lights on 24/7, extreme temperatures of heat and cold, denial of water, basic medical care, flushing toilets, showers, and religious rights. Its remote location makes legal and family visits near impossible - isolating detainees even further from the outside world. This is shocking and cruel.

Additionally, the detention center was built on sacred land, ignoring fierce opposition from indigenous communities, environmental advocates, and grassroots organizations.

This cruelty must end. Congress must demand immediate access and block all federal funds until this environmental and humanitarian disaster is shut down. Call your members of Congress TODAY and tell them to Shut Down Alligator Alcatraz.

ACLU has also created this online petition you can sign.