Thread by @AlOtroLado_Org

Egregious #Covid19 due process violations in @ICEgov detention at Adelanto (run by @TheGEOGroup) and Otay Mesa (run by @CoreCivic).

A thread 🧵

Let’s start with Adelanto.

@ICEgov @TheGEOGroup @CoreCivic As a result of protests that took place in front of Adelanto, @ICEgov and @GEOgroup have been retaliating against detainees and counsel by:

- locking down the facility
- denying attorney phone calls
- taking away all forms of communication with the outside world.
1

- prevented our attorney from entering the building and letting her file therefore pushing back a client’s case.

The GEO officers told a client that the order to cut communications came from ICE. We have been trying to get as many people out of detention as possible.

2

What this does is: drag out an already slow and tedious legal process, keeps people behind bars longer than they have to be (or ever should be), increases exposure to Covid19.

3

Now for Otay Mesa.

Since the start of the pandemic, detainees including our clients have bravely self-advocated to protect themselves against the virus.

- they have been threatened with pepper spray for asking for masks
- have been denied private attorney phone calls

4

- had (recorded) phone calls that clients already paid for dropped after 3-5 minutes
- they have been denied masks for refusing to sign waivers saying Otay Mesa isn’t responsible if they catch Covid.

This has made it nearly impossible to work on a client’s case.

5

We also realized we weren’t getting calls from our clients. We suspected that maybe our attorneys' numbers had been blocked.
And now there is proof to confirm our suspicions.

@ICEgov
is blocking detainees’ calls due to “safety concerns.”
#GTFO
sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigrati…

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