Friend –

Roughly 70,000 people have been detained by ICE during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We at the ACLU recently interviewed seven immigrants cruelly detained by ICE. Their stories are in my piece here – and their words below cover only a portion of the permanent trauma they will live with.

"When the coronavirus started, we went on a hunger strike because they weren't giving us masks. [The guards] started attacking us. They would show up dressed all in black with tear-gas guns and threaten us."

"Every day, we became more vulnerable to catching the virus. But a person who is afraid to go back to their country and wants to fight for political asylum has to wait as long as it takes."

"A lot of people complained, but that's when you realize they don't care what you say. ICE said our right was to shut our mouths, take it, and wait for our turn to get out or be deported."

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Jesus, Adrian and Yasmani, Nahom, Alejandra, Rogelio, Damary, and every person trapped within our immigrant detention system right now, are more than numbers or statistics. They are people with families, loved ones, lives that have been uprooted, and stories that deserve to be heard.

Most of us sheltered in safety during the pandemic. Others haven't been so lucky – COVID-19 has pulled back the curtain on the abuse and neglect that was already deeply embedded in ICE detention facilities. People just like those we spoke to for this piece have been facing cramped quarters without adequate cleaning protocols and even violent retaliation from guards against anyone who protests these conditions.

And while the ACLU has secured the release of more than 525 people in ICE detention so far, there are still tens of thousands of people currently left in immigration detention at this moment.

ACLU Supporter, we cannot continue to ignore the cruel and unjust actions happening behind the walls of these facilities. Please read these stories and then share them with one more person to help amplify their message. We're grateful to have you with us in the fight to protect the rights and dignity of immigrants like them.

Thank you for reading,

Ashoka Mukpo
Staff Reporter, ACLU