Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
USA, March 3 - “They give them billions to beat us; we get layoffs and rent increases” or “Funding ICE is a direct path to fascism” are some of the messages displayed as part of the campaign.
More than 200 billboards against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been visible since Monday in various cities across the United States, including Miami, as part of a campaign criticizing the high cost its violent operations impose on taxpayers.
The “ICE costs us” campaign was promoted by the civil rights association “Mijente,” and its signs have been installed in 31 locations, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Antonio, over the next four weeks.
“For too long, our government has prioritized installing cages and investing billions in an immigration control apparatus that has left families shattered and communities terrorized,” said Marisa Franco, co-founder of the Mijente Support Committee, in a statement.
The billboards feature images of ICE agents arresting individuals during immigration operations or carrying military-grade weapons, as the organization claims that spending on military equipment for ICE has recently increased by 600%.
“Your taxes are wasted,” reads most of the billboards, which continue: “ICE’s cruelty costs you $28 billion.” This figure representsICE’sannualbudget.
“Millions of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, but this violent agency continues to operate with a blank check. It is evident that these decisions do not provide us with greater security nor have any impact on improving our economic safety. Our billboards highlight these decisions and demand a different path,” Franco explained.
Other billboards compare the spending on military equipment for ICE with the 17 million people who could lose health coverage under the Medicaid program due to budget cuts by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. (Text and Photo: Cubadebate)
