More Than 40 Immigrants Have Died In ICE Custody In The Past Four Years. Here Are Thousands Of Records About What Happened.

BuzzFeed News has obtained thousands of pages of documents from internal investigations of deaths of immigrants held in ICE custody.

By Kendall Taggart, Hamed Aleaziz, Jason Leopold

"... In June 2019, BuzzFeed News filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking the release of emails, investigative reports, medical records, and other documents related to 25 deaths in custody that ICE had publicly disclosed since President Donald Trump took office.

When the agency did not promptly provide records, BuzzFeed News filed a successful lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, ICE’s parent agency. To date, DHS has produced more than 5,000 pages of documents related to deaths in ICE custody. Collectively, they tell the story of how ICE has in some instances failed to provide adequate care to detainees, some of whom are locked up for months or years before their immigration cases are resolved.

The agency is expected to hand over more records in the future; BuzzFeed News today is releasing all of the case files that have been turned over. Although there have been news reports and congressional investigations on many of these incidents, the full record behind these deaths has never before been made available."

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kendalltaggart/here-are-thousands-of-documents-about-immigrants-who-died?fbclid=IwAR11Dt2PjFBXZdPyhHxHF62AyY_38LYpQP4gQfTQDdYm0-8gRl8JEaXozpM

Police say man killed in Border Patrol shooting near San Ysidro was crossing into US illegally

The shooting occurred close to the international border near the Las Americas Premium Outlets mall on Camino De La Plaza at 5:45 p.m. Friday, according to Aaron Heitke, chief patrol agent, United States Border Patrol, San Diego Sector.
 

He provided an update on Saturday saying that the incident began when a border patrol agent responded to apprehend a man illegally entering the United States west of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. 

"During the arrest, an altercation ensued and the agent discharged his firearm wounding the man who was later identified as an adult Mexican national," Heitke said. 

He said nearby agents and law enforcement responded and began lifesaving efforts until emergency services arrived. 

Paramedics pronounced the suspect dead at 6:25 p.m., Heitke said.

The San Diego Police Department is leading the investigation, according to Heitke. He said future updates on the incident would come from SDPD. "

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/border-patrol-reportedly-involved-in-shooting-near-san-ysidro-border/509-70a67e89-01ee-4dae-9436-63c29e8d9247

Federal Judge Forces ICE To Release Over 250 Detainees From A Southern California Detention Center

Judge Terry J. Hatter ordered the Adelanto ICE Processing Center to reduce the detainee population by 50 people per day, starting October 15, until the number of people detained in the facility dropped from 772 to 475.

ICE on Tuesday said it released over 250 detainees, “despite requests to have them transferred to different facilities.”

The conditions in the processing center were a breeding ground for coronavirus infections, according to the lawsuit, with bunk beds only two to three feet apart, cells shared among four to eight people and detainees sharing toilets, sinks and showers without being given sanitizer or disinfectant before or after use."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielcassady/2020/10/27/federal-judge-forces-ice-to-release-over-250-detainees-from-a-southern-california-detention-center/?fbclid=IwAR34UtFLcx-lNDs7zhmCgpffnE8qZwKRwtlUoASlhobaZRp4AIxm6lVoLhI#bfc39a950ac1

NUMBER OF WOMEN ALLEGING MISCONDUCT BY ICE GYNECOLOGIST NEARLY TRIPLES

"AT LEAST 17 women treated by a doctor alleged to have performed unnecessary or overly aggressive gynecological procedures without proper informed consent remain in detention at Irwin County Detention Center, a privately run facility in Georgia housing U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement detainees, according to a briefing and written materials submitted by attorneys and advocates to Senators in a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill. The total number of women known to have been seen by the doctor since 2018 who say they underwent or were pressured to undergo unnecessary treatments has risen to 57 — a higher number than previously known — according to the group of lawyers."

https://theintercept.com/2020/10/27/ice-irwin-women-hysterectomies-senate/?fbclid=IwAR1CcWvSvrS23-3zgQF3OSKe9ziHHFtLUVuKGOtQWXfeIGViqlkoSmzkap4

ICE’s COVID-19 Death Toll Might Be Higher Than It Claims

As of October 22, ICE confirmed a total of 6,743 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed across 99 facilities since the pandemic began in March. 661 people who have active cases remain in ICE custody across 57 detention centers, with people either being monitored or placed in isolation.

There are an additional 45 confirmed cases among ICE staff members, though the agency hasn’t provided updated numbers on staff since June. The agency also does not report cases or deaths among ICE contractors, who run most ICE detention centers.

However, there is a troubling trend with ICE’s reporting. Despite climbing numbers of confirmed cases and new spikes, ICE has only reported nine deaths."

https://immigrationimpact.com/2020/10/26/ice-detention-covid-update/?fbclid=IwAR2YFGy6nSCVpwP_HqXpKFbzVu7VAh0TqPcDyB59N7KVnjchcoYNDcBX5Zc#.X5sduFNKjoD

Use the options below to search for immigration legal services providers by state, county, or detention facility.

Only nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost immigration legal services are included in this directory.

https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/