In Florida and surrounding states, thousands of people have been detained as they await adjudication of their cases. These detainees have all emigrated from other countries of origin. A group being housed in a bordering state has rallied their voices together to implore the federal government to reform the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), particularly regarding its practices and policies in immigration detention centers throughout the country.
The outcry comes from an immigration detention center in Georgia. A couple hundred detainees have come forward to talk about inhumane conditions and mistreatment. They say they endure maltreatment and suffer daily.
These are the top complaints of the detained migrants
The detainees have spoken out against wrongful treatment, allegedly including lack of medical attention, assault and prolonged solitary confinement. One person has reported a severe vision impairment due to lack of medical attention. Others say there are chronic mold issues in the facility. The immigrants say they are being treated worse than criminals.
Immigration detention is not a punitive process, meaning people are not being held in connection with criminal charges. They are merely being detained while their immigration cases are processed. Even prisoners in the criminal justice system are treated fairly in jail. There is no excuse for mistreating detainees. Anyone with questions regarding how to file a complaint following mistreatment at an immigration detention center can schedule a meeting with a U.S. immigration law attorney.
