7 arrested at UMB bank protest in downtown Kansas City demanding end to role with ICE
Protesters gathered outside a UMB Bank building in downtown Kansas City Tuesday to demonstrate against the bank’s involvement in immigration detention.
UMB bank has sued a Rhode Island city that sought to stop jailing immigration prisoners. The bank represents bondholders of the Wyatt Detention Facility and has filed a lawsuit against the city of Central Falls over its decision to stop letting the federal government keep immigration detainees at the privately-run jail.
Many jails receive payments from the federal government for holding those prisoners.
The group Never Again Action protested at the bank at 10th Street and Grand Boulevard in Kansas City. The group represents Jews who oppose the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and its treatment of immigrants.
Kansas City police arrested seven people during the protest, according to organizers of the protest.
Public statements
“Never Again Action is here in Missouri and we are participating in a campaign to pressure UMB to end their lawsuit and let Central Falls divest from cooperation with ICE — even if it means a loss of investments for their bondholders,” the group said in a statement.
“This campaign will continue until UMB shows they value human lives over profits of private prison investing billionaires. We demand UMB stops collaborating with ICE.”
UMB’s role has been significantly misrepresented by “inaccurate, activist activity,” Jim Rine, chief executive officer and president of UMB Bank said in an emailed statement.
“In this role, we do not represent the facility or their decisions — furthermore, we took on this business before the facility held any ICE detainees,” he said.
“We solely represent the bondholders who provided investment for the facility to be built. As such, we are legally required to act at the bondholders’ direction, which resulted in the lawsuit against the facility. This lawsuit is not politically based, but rather was filed to ensure the bondholders’ financial investment is recouped.”
The City of Central Falls, Rhode Island has the option to pay off the bond at any time, Rine said. That would eliminate the lawsuit and the bondholders’ and UMB’s involvement, he added.
“UMB has no direct connection to or relationship with ICE as that lies with the city,” Rine said. “We hope the activists will take us up on our standing offer to peacefully discuss the issues at hand and thank KCPD for their support and service.”
This story was originally published December 10, 2019 at 12:09 PM.
