He'd never been arrested, wasn't speeding or breaking the law (he was racially profiled). His U.S. citizen wife tried to get his truck, phone and the cash back, but she was told that if her husband wanted those items back, he'd have to go pick them up (he was in ICE custody).
Some men had work permits that were canceled, or were in legal proceedings to adjust their status when they were apprehended. Many of the men we spoke to had come from Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz," which was shut down by a federal judge, and described terrible conditions there.
One man said he was in pain and in desperate need of surgery (saying he had urinated blood) but was only given OTC pain meds; another was promised meds for severe allergies and never got it; all described being fed foul-smelling food and drinking water that made them sick.
Construction had just been completed for the family and legal visitation that had been completely unavailable for the first 11 days of being "operational." Legal organizations couldn't meet in person with their clients for nearly two weeks and had difficulty connecting by phone.
And there were still not enough federal employees on site to perform appropriate oversight. This $1.24 BILLION corporate-run facility should not only NOT exist, but in a rush to be "operational," it's clear that DHS was willing to serve bad food, limit legal access and more.
Immigrants being rounded up and deported are part of our national economy and they deserve a shot at legal pathways, like those in the Dignity Act of 2025. Trump's mass deportation hurts our national economy AND is costing American taxpayers $170 BILLION. www.brookings.edu/articles/the...
It's never been a more urgent time for immigration reform. While Trump destroys our economy, separates families and dehumanizes immigrants, I will continue to push for the Dignity Act of 2025, the only bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform bill in Congress. escobar.house.gov/news/documen...
Actually, palatable food is not hard to purchase. They chose not to.