Protesters in Baltimore decry detention conditions of immigrants under ICE
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Updated: 5:33 PM EDT Mar 18, 2025
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WELL, JASON CASA OFFICIALS SAID TODAY THERE ARE MORE THAN 43,000 DETAINEES NATIONWIDE AND EVERY ICE OFFICE, INCLUDING THE ONE HERE IN BALTIMORE, IS REQUIRED TO ARREST AT LEAST 75 IMMIGRANTS PER DAY. AND THAT IS LEADING TO OVERCROWDING AND WHAT THEY CALL TERRIBLE CONDITIONS. I STARTED THERE WHEN I SAID A MARYLAND ICE ON THE BALTIMORE ICE SET UP A CRY FOR JUSTICE, DIGNITY AND RESPECT FROM MEMBERS OF CASA FOR IMMIGRATION DETAINEES IN BALTIMORE. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS NIGHTMARE FOR MY DAUGHTER AND COUNTLESS OTHERS BEGAN IN A DETENTION CENTER HERE IN BALTIMORE, WHICH HAS BECOME A PLACE OF CRUELTY AND SUFFERING. ONES THAT STAND OUT ARE A TRANS WOMAN WHO WAS ARRESTED THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY AND HELD FOR NINE DAYS IN THE BALTIMORE DETENTION CENTER. ATTORNEY RACHEL GIROUARD POINTS OUT THE ICE POLICIES STATE THOSE HOLDING CELLS IN THE GEORGE FALLON FEDERAL BUILDING DOWNTOWN WERE ONLY DESIGNED TO HOLD PEOPLE FOR 12 HOURS, AND NOW THOSE CELLS ARE OVERCROWDED WITH AS MANY AS 10 TO 12 IN ONE CELL HELD FOR DAYS ON END. PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO SLEEP ON CONCRETE FLOORS WITH ALUMINUM BLANKETS FOR DAYS AT A TIME. THERE IS NO ACCESS TO BASIC NECESSITIES. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO SHOWERS OR A PLACE TO BRUSH THEIR TEETH. PEOPLE STAY IN THE SAME CLOTHING THEY WERE ARRESTED IN FOR DAYS. THERE IS ONE TOILET WHICH IS PUBLIC AND SHARED BY EVERYONE IN THE CELL. THEY ALSO SAY THE DETAINEES HAVE BEEN DENIED NECESSARY MEDICATIONS FOR THINGS LIKE DIABETES AND HIV. THOSE GATHERED TUESDAY WANT THE SITUATION TO CHANGE FOR ICE TO FOLLOW ITS OWN POLICIES, AND FOR DETAINEES TO BE TREATED WITH HUMAN DIGNITY AND RESPECT. ICE IS NOT GOING TO STOP DETAINING PEOPLE. ICE IS NOT GOING TO STOP ARRESTING PEOPLE. BUT WE’RE SEEING DIGNITY BE EVISCERATED BEFORE OUR VERY EYES. ATTORNEYS SAY THAT THESE CONDITIONS AND ACCESS TO THEIR CLIENTS HAVE GOTTEN MUCH WORSE JUST WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. REPORTIN
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Protesters in Baltimore decry detention conditions of immigrants under ICE
Members of the advocacy group CASA sent up a rallying cry Tuesday to protest how immigrant detainees are being held in what they described as deplorable conditions amid new enforcement policies.CASA officials said there are now more than 43,000 detainees nationwide, and each U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, including the one in Baltimore, is required to arrest at least 75 immigrants a day, leading to overcrowding.| ALSO: CASA held a similar rally in February, where some Maryland leaders said immigrants are in "urgent need of privacy protections." Full story here.Protesters chanted: "ICE out of Maryland, ICE out of Baltimore," saying they want justice, dignity and respect for immigration detainees in Baltimore.A man identified by only his first name, Wilmer, read a statement from another man, whose daughter is being detained, saying: "Unfortunately, this nightmare for my daughter and countless others began in the detention center here in Baltimore, which has become a place of cruelty and suffering.""Of the ones I've consulted with, the people who stand out are a trans woman (who was) arrested (during) the first week of February and held for nine days in the Baltimore detention center," immigration attorney Rachel Girard said.| 11 NEWS INVESTIGATES: An immigration attorney said migrants held at the Baltimore ICE field office are sleeping on a concrete floor, some without access to their medications. Hear from the attorney and advocates here.Girard said ICE policies state the holding cells at the George Fallon Federal Building in downtown Baltimore were only designed to hold people for 12 hours. Now, those cells are overcrowded with as many as 10 to 12 people in one cell, held for days on end, the advocates said."People are forced to sleep on concrete floors with aluminum blankets for days at a time. There is no access to basic necessities. For example, they do not have access to showers or a place to brush their teeth. People stay in the same clothing they're arrested in for days. There's one toilet, which is public, and shared by everyone in the cell," said Emma Yznaga, a paralegal with the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights.| FEAR: Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Sonja Santelises reassured students and families that schools will remain safe spaces for immigrant students. Here's why.The advocates also said the detainees have been denied necessary medications for things like diabetes and HIV.Those who gathered Tuesday want change, for ICE to follow its own policies and for detainees to be treated with human dignity and respect."ICE is not going to stop detaining people. ICE is not going to stop arresting people. But we're seeing dignity be eviscerated before our very eyes," Girard said.Girard said the conditions, and access to her clients, have worsened in recent months.
BALTIMORE —
Members of the advocacy group CASA sent up a rallying cry Tuesday to protest how immigrant detainees are being held in what they described as deplorable conditions amid new enforcement policies.
CASA officials said there are now more than 43,000 detainees nationwide, and each U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, including the one in Baltimore, is required to arrest at least 75 immigrants a day, leading to overcrowding.
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| ALSO: CASA held a similar rally in February, where some Maryland leaders said immigrants are in "urgent need of privacy protections." Full story here.
Protesters chanted: "ICE out of Maryland, ICE out of Baltimore," saying they want justice, dignity and respect for immigration detainees in Baltimore.
A man identified by only his first name, Wilmer, read a statement from another man, whose daughter is being detained, saying: "Unfortunately, this nightmare for my daughter and countless others began in the detention center here in Baltimore, which has become a place of cruelty and suffering."
"Of the ones I've consulted with, the people who stand out are a trans woman (who was) arrested (during) the first week of February and held for nine days in the Baltimore detention center," immigration attorney Rachel Girard said.
| 11 NEWS INVESTIGATES: An immigration attorney said migrants held at the Baltimore ICE field office are sleeping on a concrete floor, some without access to their medications. Hear from the attorney and advocates here.
Girard said ICE policies state the holding cells at the George Fallon Federal Building in downtown Baltimore were only designed to hold people for 12 hours. Now, those cells are overcrowded with as many as 10 to 12 people in one cell, held for days on end, the advocates said.
"People are forced to sleep on concrete floors with aluminum blankets for days at a time. There is no access to basic necessities. For example, they do not have access to showers or a place to brush their teeth. People stay in the same clothing they're arrested in for days. There's one toilet, which is public, and shared by everyone in the cell," said Emma Yznaga, a paralegal with the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights.
| FEAR: Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Sonja Santelises reassured students and families that schools will remain safe spaces for immigrant students. Here's why.
The advocates also said the detainees have been denied necessary medications for things like diabetes and HIV.
Those who gathered Tuesday want change, for ICE to follow its own policies and for detainees to be treated with human dignity and respect.
"ICE is not going to stop detaining people. ICE is not going to stop arresting people. But we're seeing dignity be eviscerated before our very eyes," Girard said.
Girard said the conditions, and access to her clients, have worsened in recent months.