Dear John,

My name is T-Bone, a core leader of Sunrise New York City. We have been outside Delaney Hall since the hunger strike began, standing in solidarity with detainees to demand an end to the torturous conditions inside, and since I’ve been on the ground, lots of people have been asking me what it feels like to be there. I thought I’d send an update.

The first thing you should know is that despite the Right’s efforts to deny hunger strikers’ descriptions of horrific conditions inside the facility, when you’re there in person — even outside the gates — it’s crystal clear what this facility was built to achieve: cruelty. When I first arrived at Delaney Hall, a friend asked me, "now that you see it up close, what do you think?" 

Without hesitation, I replied "it looks like a fucking concentration camp." 

For 22 days, Delaney Hall has been on a hunger strike and labor strike. People inside report maggots in food, freezing nights with no blankets, no medical care, scalding showers, and more. 

Here are the strikers’ demands: 

• the release of medically vulnerable, elderly, pregnant, and young people from detention
• for immigration judges to meaningfully review their cases
• for federal courts to review their habeas petitions
• for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to end the practice of pressuring detained people to sign voluntary departure agreements or deportation documents. 

ICE is trying to silence these demands and impose an information blackout on the camp – including preventing detainees from communicating with panicked family members.

Before I first came to Delaney Hall, I had seen videos of humans appearing as silhouettes in the windows, flickering their lights to acknowledge the chants of solidarity for their hunger strike and labor strike. By the time I arrived, the camp had been surrounded by a concrete barrier and a chain link fence.

ICE is trying to make us feel scared, powerless, and alone. They are trying to convince us that standing up for what’s right doesn’t matter. But nobody here is backing down.

Being outside Delaney Hall, I’m reminded of why I organize with Sunrise and bother to show up at all. I know there are human beings being treated like animals inside. From friends in Minnesota and loved ones in Palestine, I am reassured that every chant they can hear, every new person who amplifies the demands, and every successful action we take matters. Every act of resistance against fascism adds up, and it will not be for naught.

Will you pitch in to support Sunrise hubs like mine?

For 22 days, Delaney Hall has been on a hunger strike and labor strike. Nobody inside is giving up – rather, 40 women joined the strike this week. For 22 days, community members have been showing up to support them. We’re not giving up either.

And we’re not alone: all across the country, Sunrise hubs like mine are organizing to fight ICE, stop fascism, and win the future we deserve. 

We can’t do this work without your support. Will you help us continue the fight?

In solidarity,
T-Bone