MAKE A DIFFERENCE AROUND WNY

Batavia Detention Center

Ways to volunteer through"Justice for Migrant Families WNY" to assist those in Detention centers:

Batavia Phone Line: 716-427-4917

People inside the facility, as well as their families, call our Google Phone number and we need volunteers to help run this line.

Our phone line works both as a place to disrupt the intentional isolation folks experience within detention and as an important connecting piece for support throughout immigration detainment, including connection with other programs that Justice for Migrant Families provides. If you are interested, we will help with a training!

Books for All

Books for All members are on a rolling list for book requests from people in immigrant detention in Batavia. When someone requests a book while in detention, JFMF share the request on a rolling basis. People inside cherish this form of connection!

Pen-pal Program:

The people inside the detention center often request pen pals. Our pen pal program works to disrupt the intentional isolation of the folks who are detained within the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility.

The facility has one of the top ten longest hold times in the country, despite the fact that immigration detention facilities are meant to be temporary holding centers. Because of this, there are less resources available to those who are detained. Our pen pal program offers support to those detained and you will be matched with a pen pal that you can write to.!

Legal Support

JFMF works with a dedicated team of attorneys, paralegals and other professionals who support the legal questions and needs of our community. If you are interested in volunteering and offering free or reduced cost services, please contact us!

WHY THEY NEED OUR HELP

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Copy & Paste our message or create your own and share it with Governor Hochul

Take Me To Governor Hochul's Contact

RE: Demanding State Action to Investigate and Address Inhumane Conditions in ICE Detention Centers

Dear Governor Hochul,

I am writing to you today as a resident of [Your City/Town] to express my deep moral and humanitarian concerns regarding the abhorrent conditions reported in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers operating within our state.

The systemic mistreatment of individuals in ICE custody represents an urgent human rights crisis. Reports from advocates, lawmakers, and those currently detained inside these facilities highlight alarming conditions, including the denial of adequate medical care, severe overcrowding, inadequate food, and the use of solitary confinement. Subjecting individuals—who are primarily navigating civil immigration matters—to unsafe and unconstitutional living conditions is unacceptable and goes against the values of our state.

Because the federal government continues to expand detention capacities and use privatized human warehouses, state oversight has never been more critical. Therefore, I urge you to take immediate and decisive action by exercising your authority to:

Order Independent Health Inspections: Direct the State Department of Health to conduct full, unannounced, and independent inspections of all ICE detention facilities operating within our borders to ensure compliance with basic public health and safety standards.
Demand Transparency and Accountability: Use your office to demand full transparency from federal authorities. When state officials and health inspectors are denied access to these facilities, it raises serious questions about what is being hidden from public view.
Support Legislation to End Profiteering: Advocate for the passage of state legislation, such as the Dignity Not Detention Act, to prevent local jails and state institutions from entering into or renewing contracts with ICE.

The ongoing humanitarian failures inside these facilities inflict immense trauma on detained individuals, their families, and our broader communities. It is entirely within your power to protect the dignity and rights of some of the most vulnerable individuals in our state.

I respectfully request that your administration publicly address this crisis and outline the specific steps the state will take to investigate these alleged abuses and hold the Department of Homeland Security accountable.

Thank you. I look forward to your prompt response and to seeing swift, compassionate action taken on this critical issue.

Sincerely,

Proposed $2B AI data center at former industrial site in Town of Tonawanda

Demand AI Data Center Projects in WNY Cease

Take Me To Governor Hochul's Contact

Assemblyman William Conrad Contact

Subject: Urgent Request to Halt Unregulated AI Data Center Development

Dear [Governor Hochul, ASsemblyman Conrad],

As a resident of [Your Town/City/County] and a concerned citizen of New York State, I am writing to urge your immediate action to address the rapid, unregulated buildout of AI data centers in our state. While artificial intelligence technology is advancing, the massive industrial infrastructure required to support it threatens our environment, our economy, and our daily quality of life.

These facilities consume staggering amounts of electricity and water. A single AI data center can demand as much power as tens of thousands of homes and millions of gallons of water daily. Allowing these centers to connect to our current electrical grid will inevitably cause utility rates to skyrocket for everyday residents and small businesses. We simply cannot afford to subsidize Big Tech profits with our limited natural resources and higher household bills.

Furthermore, the construction of these windowless warehouse facilities brings severe noise pollution, disrupts local agriculture and tourism, and takes over valuable land. In many cases, these developments are rushed through without adequate environmental review or transparent community input.

To protect the citizens of [Your State], I respectfully request that you:

Support a Statewide Moratorium: Implement a temporary pause on the approval and construction of new large-scale data centers until a comprehensive statewide assessment of their cumulative impact is completed.
Enforce Strict Guardrails: Require any future data centers to be completely self-sufficient, mandating that they bring their own new, clean, renewable power and closed-loop water systems so they do not drain resources from the public grid.
End Corporate Subsidies: Prohibit the use of state tax breaks, economic development funds, or other public financial incentives for Big Tech companies building these resource-intensive facilities.

Our communities need thoughtful planning and strong regulatory frameworks to ensure our utilities and natural resources are prioritized for the people who live and work here. I urge you to stand with [Your State] families over out-of-state corporate interests.

Thank you for your time, your leadership, and your continued dedication to protecting our state. I look forward to hearing your position on this critical issue.

Sincerely,