Florida immigrants may be at risk for detention for any number of reasons. For instance, if a man or woman approaches a U.S. border to request asylum, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers may detain him or her for some time. Another reason U.S. immigration law officials might take someone into custody would be if he or she entered the United States without proper paperwork in order.
In many cases, immigrants with no criminal history are later released from detention, able to reside in the U.S. until their cases are fully processed. There appears to be many people, however, who continue to be held in ICE custody even though they have no criminal background. This is why their advocates have called upon the federal government to release them for their own well-being and the sake of their families.
In addition to the fact that such custody is supposed to be civil and non-punitive, there are also national health concerns at this time that the advocates say are unnecessarily placing such immigrants at risk, as long as they remain in detention. Many detention facilities have prohibited social visits because of current national events regarding communicable diseases, which has reportedly added emotional strain to many immigrants in detention because they cannot see their family members. Those lobbying for release say the immigrants in question have not committed any crimes and should therefore be able to return to their families while they await adjudication.
Many immigrant advocates in Florida and elsewhere believe overcrowding is a great concern in many U.S. immigration law detention facilities. It is logical to assume that releasing those who have no criminal background would not only make room but would also likely help officials more easily provide for the temporal or medical needs of others in custody. An experienced immigration law attorney can provide support to any immigrant family who is currently facing legal problems associated with detention.
