Thread by @TornilloWitness

WITNESS CARRIE FEIT reports Now that I'm a little numb from the information I received this evening about Homestead, I can write about it, in case some of you all may benefit from my takeaways. 1/18

Today, a Motion was filed in federal court in CA to enforce the Flores Settlement Agreement in connection with the related 1985 lawsuit, brought about by the existence of Homestead Detention Center which operates in reckless disregard & in unapologetic violation of 1997 Agmt 2/18

This filing is bitter sweet. While affirming the ton of work that folks have been doing on behalf of these kids & while bringing hope w/regard to fate of this child prison camp, it confirms via countless corroborating testimonials of nightmares taking place inside.3/18

Turns out violations cannot be more blatant or unambiguous, as Flores requires EVEN DURING AN INFLUX that ORR promptly release minors to sponsors, or if release is not possible, to expeditiously place minors in licensed non-secure child care facilities...4/18

...(while Homestead is unlicensed & a secure military-style camp). (Since 1997, Flores has been interpreted by federal judges to mean that all minors in detention-accompanied by their parents or not-cannot be held for more than 20 days.)5/18

Further, majority of minors brought to Homestead are NOT transferred to licensed facilities, but remain there until eventually released to a sponsor, deported, or turn 18 ("age-out") & are transferred to an ICE facility for deportation. We also learned from Motion that...6/18

1) additional unlicensed secure facilities are in process of being opened; 2) ORR deems space insufficient in licensed care facilities when they are 85% full; 3) PERHAPS MOST AFFIRMING OF THE HORROR BROUGHT UPON BY THIS ADMINISTRATION & reason for lengthy stays...7/18

...ORR provides ICE & federal, state & local law enforcement agencies w/identification documents & fingerprints of potential sponsor & all adult members in potential sponsor's household which may be used w/DHS to determine immigration status...8/18

...criminal history & with DOJ to investigate criminal history-which has resulted in arrest of numerous potential sponsors & deterrent 2 others. It’s worth noting that info obtained far exceeds scope of investigation into sponsors allowed by Flores, not to mention violates...9/18

...requirement to make prompt & continuous efforts toward family reunification. Relatedly 5) ORR requires sponsor family to provide minor's birth certificate in violation of Flores.
10/18

Most heart-wrenching part of this document however are Declarations from minors inside that consistently confirm & make very real all the horrible stories we've heard. The stories begin in 2018 w/separation from parents at border continued for months at Homestead...11/18

...followed by countless accounts of case workers giving unaccompanied minors same excuses/no excuses for painful delays of release to uncles, aunts, or siblings. We learn from children how they are locked in & cannot leave & cannot go anywhere without a guard including...12/18

...bathroom or 4 water; how they have heard that if they do, they will be deported; how they can only sometimes briefly visit their sibling or worse, can only see him/her through gateow they cannot touch one another or hug each other even when they so desperately need to...13/18

...& how they cannot sit on each other's bed or touch each other's hair or talk to each other or shake hands during single file line travel. They tell us that there are cameras everywhere & how they fear getting in trouble for breaking any of these rules. 14/18

We learn how they can’t trade clothes, draw on their clothes or take food from the place it was provided to them. We learn how they get 5 minutes to bathe at night. Perhaps hardest 4 me to read was how they only get 10 minutes twice a week to talk to family on the phone...15/18

...half if you have a sibling & how it's never enough & how they wish they had more time & how they miss their mom/dad & how a guard stands near them & listens to their conversations. How the saddest kids, the ones who cry all night, are the ones...16/18

...that do not have family in US & fear they will be there forever, & how loneliest kids are the ones who neither speak Spanish or English (for example only Quiche or Mam) & thus cannot communicate w/anyone. So now what? I am so grateful this Motion has been filed 17/18

I just wonder when action will come. Appreciate any insight from lawyer friends who may have thoughts.#htt @TornilloWitness #TargetHomestead #HomesInstead @BetoORourke #BigIdeas 18/18