Memo reviewed by: Veronica Diaz, HKS MPA/ID, Paul Nolan, HKS MPP, Sima Thakkar MPA/MC, and Aleena Ali, MPP
The memo reviewed, "Closure of ICE Detention Facilities," is a memo from the ACLU to Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, urging him to close Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities. From start to finish, the memo excels at crafting a tone that is respectful yet assertive. The author opens with an olive branch to the Secretary—thanking him for the “continued concern for the dignity, safety and human rights” and recent action to close substandard detention facilities. By opening with shared concerns and an acknowledgement of past work, the memo immediately communicates collaboration over confrontation. This approach positions the author to introduce the issue in a second paragraph—renewing the call for closing detention centers but evoking a newfound sense of urgency.
Beyond its skillful opening, the author clearly stated the problem, suggested operational solutions, and supported their argument with appropriate evidence. The authors established credibility by reinforcing their arguments with relevant statistics and specific examples of substandard conditions— “lack of basic medical care, severe understaffing, and cells … with human excrement”—at ICE detention centers. Their argument was credible and compelling by proposing options that are consistent with the President’s agenda and public opinion. The memo showed cohesiveness by linking one argument to the next, offering examples and exhibiting strong flow between the problem, the existing conditions, the data, and solutions. By ffering data with strong citations throughout the memo and a succinct call-to-action, the authorsʼ argument came across as concrete.
Overall, the writing style and substance is compelling. The author builds a sound argument for closing privately-owned ICE detention facilities, linking substandard conditions directly to these types of facilities. The argument is supported with data on the significant financial cost of the contracts and political support for closure. The memo cites internal political support via President Bidenʼs commitment to end privatized detention and external political support via public opinion—where two-thirds of voters support the end of privatized detention. The memo is a model for how to write persuasively, especially to an audience who may be reluctant to hear what you have to say.