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A28 u.s. news
Diabierna 6 augustus 2021

Immigrant detentions soar despite Biden’s campaign promises

“I was very scared,” Martinez other measures.
said. “I told the investiga-
tors that I was going to leave ICE detainees at the Ber-
the case. I didn’t want to go gen County Jail in New Jer-
through the process anymore sey filed an administrative
because I don’t want them to complaint last month with
hurt my family, let alone me.” Homeland Security’s civil
rights office seeking an in-
ICE officials in New Orleans vestigation into allegations
declined to comment on including poor sanitary con-
Martinez’s case and specific ditions and medical neglect
concerns about treatment at during the pandemic.
the Winn prison, citing fed-
eral confidentiality rules for “At the end of day, we’re
cases dealing with victims of detainees, not inmates,”
violence and other crimes. said Jean Claude Wright, a
38-year-old native of Trini-
Winn, one of the nation’s dad and former U.S. Air
largest ICE detention cen- Force officer named in the
ters, has long angered civil complaint. “But this is worse
rights groups. The Southern than prison.”
Poverty Law Center in June
called on the Biden adminis- ICE detainees at the Plym-
(AP) — Alexander Marti- Biden’s pro-immigration al- problematic facilities. tration to cancel its govern- outh County House of Cor-
nez says he fled from ho- lies, who hoped he would ment contract, citing abuse, rections in Massachusetts
mophobia, government reverse his predecessor’s The rising number of asy- medical neglect, racism and similarly sent a letter to sup-
persecution and the no- hardline approach. Biden lum-seekers detained for other mistreatment at the porters in June, detailing is-
torious MS-13 gang in El campaigned on ending “pro- prolonged periods is among facility, which is tucked in a sues like restrictions on visits.
Salvador only to run into longed” detention and use of the most concerning devel- dense forest in rural Loui-
abuse and harassment in private prisons for immigra- opments, said Heidi Altman, siana and ringed by barbed Allison Cullen says she hasn’t
America’s immigration tion detention, which house policy director at the Nation- wire. been able to visit her hus-
detention system. the majority of those in ICE al Immigrant Justice Center. band, a Brazilian national,
custody. An agency spokesperson said since before the pandemic.
Since crossing the border il- The number of detainees ICE generally is commit-
legally in April, the 28-year- “We’re at this really strange who have passed their initial ted to ensuring detainees are The couple’s youngest child
old has bounced between six moment with him,” said asylum screening has leapt in a safe, secure and clean was only a few months old
different facilities in three Silky Shah, executive direc- from around 1,700 in April environment, are provided when Flavio Andrade Pra-
states. He said he contract- tor of Detention Watch Net- to 3,400 in late July, making comprehensive medical care do was detained, and he
ed COVID-19, faced racist work, which advocates for up about 13% of all detainees, and have their concerns and hasn’t seen his now-2-year-
taunts and abuse from guards ending immigration deten- according to the most recent complaints addressed by staff old daughter in person in
and was harassed by fellow tion outright. “There’s still ICE data. in writing. months, she said.
detainees for being gay. time to turn things around,
but his policies so far haven’t “By ICE’s own policy, these Immigration opponents ar- Back in Louisiana, Martinez
“I find myself emotionally matched his campaign rheto- are people that shouldn’t be gue that a more troubling says he’s asked to be placed in
unstable because I have suf- ric.” in detention any longer,” trend than the rise in deten- solitary confinement, fearing
fered a lot in detention,” Altman said, citing ICE’s tions is an apparent drop-off for his safety.
Martinez said last week at In May, the Biden adminis- process for paroling asylum- in ICE enforcement in cities
Winn Correctional Center in tration terminated contracts seekers until a judge decides and towns. Two detainees who harassed
Louisiana. “I never imagined with two controversial ICE their case. him for being gay were
or expected to receive this in- detention centers — one in As of last month, more than moved, but ICE officials later
humane treatment.” Georgia and another in Mas- ICE officials declined to 80% of detainees had been sent him to a higher-securi-
sachusetts — getting praise comment. apprehended by Border Pa- ty unit where he said many
He’s among a growing num- from advocates who hoped it trol officials, and less than gang-affiliated detainees are
ber of people in immigration would be the start of a broad- Martinez, the Salvadoran 20% by ICE agents, the ICE housed.
detention centers nation- er rollback. national, cleared his initial data shows. Last July under
wide, many of whom, like screening in May, which de- Trump, 40% of detainees He says he spends most of his
Martinez, have cleared their But no other facilities have termines whether an asylum- were picked up by the Border days in his cell, with limited
initial screening to seek asy- lost their ICE contracts, and seeker has a “credible fear” of Patrol, and 60% by ICE. access to communications
lum in the U.S. Biden has proposed funding persecution in their home- and recreation.
for 32,500 immigrant deten- land. That means most of those in
The number of detainees has tion beds in his budget, a detention were apprehended “It’s really difficult and mis-
more than doubled since the modest decrease from 34,000 But his lawyers say ICE is trying to enter the country erable, and I’m all alone all
end of February, to nearly funded by Trump. keeping him detained be- illegally, not from local im- the time,” Martinez said.
27,000 as of July 22, accord- cause it wrongly believes he’s migration enforcement, said “I’m a good person. This
ing to the most recent data A White House spokesman a member of the MS-13 gang. Andrew Arthur, a fellow at treatment is inhuman.”
from U.S. Immigration said Biden’s budget reduces the Center for Immigration
and Customs Enforcement. the number of ICE detention Martinez says he fled El Sal- Studies, which advocates for He wants to settle in San
That’s above the roughly beds and shifts some of their vador after he and his fam- lower immigration. Jose, California, where a
22,000 detained last July un- use to processing immigrants ily received death threats be- friend promised to help him
der then-President Donald for parole and other alterna- cause he testified against the “We’re simply not enforcing find work. He wants to send
Trump, though it’s nowhere tives. gang in the killing of one of immigration law in the inte- money back to El Salvador —
close to the record in August his friends. He says inves- rior of the country,” he said. his mother has cancer and his
2019, when the number of Homeland Security Secretary tigators tried to get him to younger sister is in college.
detainees exceeded 55,000, Alejandro Mayorkas said in a testify in other gang-related Meanwhile, detainees and
ICE data shows. recent congressional hearing murders but he was reluctant advocates call for closing de- “I just want what everyone
that he’s “concerned about because he had not witnessed tention facilities in favor of wants,” Martinez said, “to get
The rising detentions is a the overuse of detention” and those crimes. monitoring paroled immi- out, be free and help support
sore point for President Joe pledged to continue to review grants with GPS devices and my family.”