The massive spread of the virus

The US is the new epicenter of COVID-19. The spread of the virus is massive in the country and it is affecting many aspects of our society.

Emergency measures help decrease contagion, however, no decisions have been made regarding immigration detention centers.

These centers are overcrowded and hygiene is not always a priority.

Immigrants who are detained constantly ask for help because there is no hand sanitizer, soap or masks in these facilities. They cannot bathe or brush their teeth every day.

In fact, immigrants detained in Texas protested las week due to the hygiene conditions they live in.

Protests at the Texas Detention Center

About 60 immigrants detained at the South Texas detention center protested last week out of fear to the Coronavirus.

During the protest, they wanted to escape from the detention center because the fear to the Coronavirus is greater than the fear to the government right now.

They complain about how overcrowded they are and how there is no space to take distance between each other.

Most of them have their families in immigration centers as well and that is why they try to protect them from the virus.

It is also important to emphasize that the Texas Detention Center has many adults who are at higher risk of infection since their health is more vulnerable.

What originated the protest?

Immigrants detained in Texas found out through the news that a Guatemalan citizen was deported over the weekend and tested positive for COVID-19.

The immigrant was in one of the country’s immigration detention centers as well.

He was deported on one of the planes of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE). This plane carried more than 40 immigrants who were deported to that country the same day.

In addition to that, that same plane returned stranded Americans to the US from Guatemala.

That is why one of the detainees, who is waiting for a response to obtain asylum in the country, stated during the protest: “if one of us gets sick, we will all die here.”

The only thing immigrants are asking for is to take hygiene measures in these centers, to help them prevent the infection and to let them bathe more often.

The situation they are going through is very worrying. Federal employees who control and monitor detention centers are also at risk.

Another part of the protest is regarding medical care in immigration facilities.

According to several reports, they can be sick for weeks and nobody helps them with the necessary medical support.

The coronavirus outbreak can be a great threat to them and to all the people who work there.

Border entities’ reaction to the protest

The protest took place inside the detention center.

The only thing officials did was to try to stop the protest with pepper spray. No other weapon was needed.

Immigrant Rights Advocates

Two weeks ago, there was a lawsuit filed by immigrant rights advocates requesting freedom to all immigrant families who are not a risk to society.

Actually, the lawsuit was presented because of the fear of Coronavirus in these detention centers as well.

Bethany Carson, an immigrant rights advocate stated: “We are truly terrified for all the people who remain locked up in ICE detention (…) It is absolutely impossible to follow health protocols like social distancing in a detention center.”

The necessary guide

It is a time of many changes in the history of humanity, so we must take every decision with great caution.

It is important to have a specialized guide to avoid precarious situations for you and your family.

If you have any questions about an immigration issue or relating to a case you may have currently in Progress, then please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

Simply call Motion Law today at: (202) 918-1799.