Coronavirus cases rise at ICE facilities

When immigrants try to cross borders without legal documentation or prior authorization and are detained, they are normally taken to immigration detention centers around the US. They reside there until border forces initiate deportation proceedings or until they appeal their cases to obtain a legal permit.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the federal entity in charge of supervising these centers and detaining undocumented immigrants, both at the borders and across the country.

Nowadays, after more than three months, in which ICE could have implemented emergency measures to protect the health of detained immigrants and its employees, detention centers are hotbeds of the Coronavirus and the number of people infected increases exponentially.

This is one of the reasons why the US is currently going through a wave of social controversy. In fact, since the massive outbreak of Coronavirus reached the country, dozens of immigrant rights advocates and activists had warned about the danger present in immigration detention centers.

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More than 20% of detained immigrants have COVID-19

On the ICE website, there is a section dedicated to the management of the Coronavirus, as well as the official figures of infected people (both detainees and employees).

Official figures show that:

• There are 21,494 detainees currently residing in ICE facilities and 4,444 have tested positive for COVID-19.
  That represents 20.68%.
• From the 4,444 detainees infected with Coronavirus, only 1,084 are in isolation to prevent a wave of a massive outbreak within ICE facilities.
  That represents 24.39%.

It is well known that the Coronavirus has the characteristic of spreading profusely through human contact. Therefore, if only 24.39% of detained immigrants who tested positive for the Coronavirus are isolated (complying with the requirements and protection protocols), it means that the vast majority of detainees and employees are still at risk of contagion.

In addition to that, it is important to remember that there are dozens of immigrants who have underlying health conditions that make them more likely to get the COVID-19 and possibly suffer complications.

Dozens of activists have asked the government to do something to reduce the risk present in immigration detention centers, however, there has been no official response to this request.

Do you need help with a deportation case? Contact Motion Law Immigration and follow our team of experts’ advice.

Follow the legal processes

It is imperative to emphasize that illegal immigration must be avoided at all costs, not only during the current juncture, but in general.

We understand that immigration processes and the US law can sometimes be complex and robust, however, there are multiple alternatives that you have to be able to migrate legally.

Reliable help from experts in immigration matters becomes essential for you to follow the legal processes and avoid a possible rejection of your application.

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.