An agreement has been reached to protect released migrants during the pandemic in California

An agreement has been reached to protect released migrants during the pandemic in California

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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) reached an agreement to provide protection to migrants detained in two of the most deplorable centers of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) in the western state of California when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The ACLU declared an agreement with the entity in charge of immigration control in the United States to provide protection to migrants who were detained in the Yuba County Jail and, in addition, in the Mesa Verde Detention Center.

Do you want to know why this dispute started and what the results were? Keep reading this post.

Why was this lawsuit process against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE)  initiated?

The COVID-19 pandemic posed a challenge for all migrant detention centers in the United States since the detention centers they were in were not prepared for the demands of humane care and preventive measures of the pandemic.

As a result of this, in April 2020, several migrants in these centers denounced the degrading and inhumane conditions in which they lived in the Yuba County Jail and the Mesa Verde Detention Center.

The dormitories and cells in which the migrants lived were dirty and crowded with people, which was an ideal space for the proliferation of the virus.

And the most worrying thing for the inmate population and the ACLU’s attorneys was that the number of people was excessive for what there should be.

The ACLU lawyers were in charge of managing the lawsuit to consider the psychological and physical effects these people have faced.

What request did the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) make?

The ACLU demanded protection for migrants held in these two migrant detention centers and throughout the rest of the country.

Their voices were heard, and the results were positive.

What results did the litigation have?

The results obtained by this litigation demonstrate that civil rights ensure the safety and well-being of all people, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, or condition.

First, the number of migrants held at the Yuba County Jail and the Mesa Verde Detention Center dropped from 462 people to just 62.

In addition, this agreement guarantees that the hundreds of migrants who were released will not be detained again by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE).

The ACLU’s efforts ensured that they were granted decent protection for the safety and health of people in custody for three years.

And this is not just a minor detail since this part of the agreement implies that the population detained in these migrant centers has a limit that guarantees social distancing, all testing and vaccination orders in favor of migrants in custody and the personnel, the prompt release of vulnerable individuals, and full compliance with the guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

How does this benefit migrants?

Undoubtedly, all migrants benefit from the ACLU’s agreement with the state since each of the health, protection, and integrity is reinforced by good treatment and an opportunity in the US.

The first benefit is that the number of people who were in those two migrant centers has decreased from 462 to 62; those 62 individuals will be able to obtain a decent bedroom where they can rest and be in better conditions. And, of course, the probability of a COVID-19 health outbreak is considerably reduced.

The second benefit is that the hundreds of migrants who were released will not be detained by ICE again, which allows them to seek work, integrate productively into the community, and improve their quality of life without fearing they will be detained again.

The third benefit is related to humane treatment, one where the health and safety of migrants in custody are guaranteed, including release concessions for migrants who are detained and who, due to their condition, are vulnerable to the virus or other issues.

In itself, a complete reform regarding the treatment of migrants, without a doubt, has a lot to do with the new focus that President Biden maintains on foreigners and his support for them.

Opinions of the lawyers in the case

Bree Bernwanger, the attorney for the prestigious San Francisco Bay Area Civil Rights Committee, cited her disagreement that ICE had detained as many migrants as possible, holding them in crowded, dirty spaces, where they had formed a “powder keg for the COVID-19”.

On the other hand, the lawyer for the ACLU of California, Sean Riordan, a strong fighter for the program that guarantees the human rights of migrants, indicated that this agreement would contribute significantly to stopping the spread of the virus and save many lives, which makes the team and those involved happy.

In summary, the agreement of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) manages to humanize migrant detention centers much more to provide them with decent spaces where their health is protected against COVID-19, where they can rest without feeling overcrowded, and where they can have guarantees of participation in US health programs, such as vaccinations or periodic tests that are carried out.

But, what is causing more joy is the positive impact that this new measure has generated in those released people since they will not have to flee because the agreement guarantees that they will not be detained again by ICE.

If you need legal advice on migrant benefits and rights, contact us. We will be happy to help you.