THREAD: 5 South Asian nationals at the LaSalle Detention Facility in Louisiana are quickly approaching their 75th day on a hunger strike for freedom. According to medical professionals, day 75 is when vital organs begin to fail. These men deserve freedom. truthout.org/articles/after…
Detention creates conditions that cause hunger strikes. Immigration detention functions as psychological torture. If asylum seekers continue to face indefinite detention in terrible conditions, we will see more hunger strikes and more deaths in custody.
ICE has broad prosecutorial discretion to release anyone at any time. They are actively choosing not to do exercise this discretion and release the men to the family and friends that have come forward and offered to provide housing and assistance should they be released.
The NOLA field office can decide whether these men continue to be detained or if they are able to go free. Join us in calling the NOLA ICE Field Office directly at (504) 599-7800 & demand their release #AbolishDetention
"...I will not resume eating till the time I have been freed, no matter how long it takes, I will face every difficulty to gain my freedom. I have only one demand that I want freedom and I want to fight my case from outside” - a statement from one of the men on hunger strike
When people in ICE detention go on hunger strike, it’s a last resort. They are willing to risk losing their life to be heard by ICE and the public. This goes to show just how terrible conditions are in ICE detention and why we must #AbolishDetention
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📢Now is the time to end New York’s complicity with immigrant detention! 🧵 thread + 📝 statement from 75+ groups on why we need to pass the #DignityNotDetention Act:
COVID-19 exacerbated the dangers of ICE detention, which has *always* been inhumane. 2020 was the deadliest year in detention since ‘05, with 21 deaths - and over 10K COVID cases. #DignityNotDetention
People in ICE detention in New York state have reported lack of PPE & hygienic materials, and the use of solitary confinement as “quarantine” - total lack of basic public health. #DignityNotDetention
1. #DignityNotDetention prohibits NY State government from entering into immigration detention contracts & prohibits them from receiving any payments related to immigration detention.
2. #DignityNotDetention prohibits New York state from renewing any existing immigration detention contracts.
BREAKING: Freedom for Immigrants and 9 partner orgs submitted a civil rights complaint against the Glades County Detention Center in Florida. Link to the full CRCL in comments. freedomforimmigrants.org/news/shut-down…
With 25 testimonies, it details atrocities happening inside Glades, including: ICE’s failures to follow court orders to release individuals; retaliation for protests and public reporting; use of toxic chemical spray in enclosed spaces; hospitalizations, deaths, and disappearances
The complaint demands ICE terminate its contract with Glades County and immediately release all people detained at the facility.
Our National Detention Hotline received a disturbing call from a Black immigrant in an ICE prison who had experienced physical abuse at the hands of the guards.
Hotline volunteers acted quickly to file a civil rights complaint on his behalf.
In an interview, our Director of Visitation Advocacy Strategies, Sofia Casini, highlighted the connection between the abuse of Black immigrants in ICE prison with abuse at the hands of law enforcement.
Casini stated, "Our nation just went through a year of examining the ways people in authority harm Black people while claiming, 'I was at risk. This person was a threat' — people who are Black and unarmed and at their mercy."
The complaint was submitted on behalf of 3 Cameroonian asylum seekers at Winn Correctional Center who were physically assaulted, choked, beaten and handcuffed in attempts to force their signatures.
One of the men has tested positive for COVID and another has been exposed to COVID. All 3 face life-threatening consequences if deported to Cameroon. #FreeThemAll#BlackLivesMatter
This morning, we @ Freedom for Immigrants and @DetentionWatch Network delivered a letter to @POTUS on behalf of 217 groups demanding President Biden address COVID-19 inside immigration detention by releasing everyone within the first 100 days #FreeThemAll
Our organization has documented at least
199 instances of retaliation at 49 detention facilities since the onset of the pandemic, underscoring the systemic nature of this abuse. You can follow our up-to-date COVID-19 reporting at freedomforimmigrants.org/covid19
Throughout the pandemic, the average length of detention has increased–meaning that people are trapped in prolonged detention in these lethal conditions. As a result, FY 2020 was the deadliest year in ICE detention since 2005, with 21 reported deaths, eight due to
COVID.