TUCSON—Today, the Biden Administration announced a new Alternatives to Detention (ATD) Case Management Pilot Program (CMPP), which will provide voluntary case management and other services to ensure that noncitizens in removal proceedings have access to legal information and other critical services. As a response, Rep. Grijalva issued the following statement.

“While I welcome the latest announcement by DHS on establishing a new Alternatives to Detention Case Management Pilot Program, I remain cautious of its implementation,” said Rep. Grijalva. “Under President Biden we have seen the number of individuals under ICE detention drastically increase signaling an even greater need to support community-based alternatives. There is no comparison between the level of care and attention a nonprofit can provide versus a private prison corporation who is solely concerned about its profit margin.”

“For decades, the focus has been on detention and enforcement,” continued Rep. Grijalva. “We must move beyond a system of detention that is based only on profits, and instead provide families and individuals with an all-encompassing community-based case management program. Case management programs operated by nonprofit organization have proven to be successful and are centered on the needs of the families they service.”

Since 2015, Rep. Grijalva has introduced the Justice is Not for Sale Act to prohibit federal, state, and local governments from contracting with private prison companies and to end immigrant family detention. The bill also replaces family detention with alternatives that are community-based and community-supported.

To learn more and to apply to serve on the Case Management Pilot Program National Board, please view the Request for Information (RFI) and accompanying Frequently Asked Questions.  Applications are due by September 17, 2021.

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