Human rights continue to win over pandemic

Despite tireless attempts by Trump’s government to change immigration policies and make it almost impossible to apply for social benefits, there has been very good news for immigrants in recent weeks.

The current administration intends to reduce immigration at all costs to avoid a second wave of Coronavirus’ outbreak in the country.

However, immigrants currently residing in the US do not have enough social assistance to protect themselves against the pandemic.

That is why thousands of immigrant rights advocates have raised their voices asking for help for detainees in centers of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE).

These protests prompted several judges across the country to appeal on behalf of detained immigrants as ICE centers do not have enough supplies to protect immigrant communities or the federal employees who work there.

Immigrants Released in South Florida

Last Thursday, April 30, 2020, a federal judge of the US District Court ordered the release of hundreds of immigrants held in three detention centers around South Florida.

The judge stated that ICE does not have the necessary protection to save as many lives as possible during the health crisis caused by the Coronavirus.

The three immigrant detention centers are:

• Glades County Immigrant Detention Center at Moore Haven.
• Broward Immigrant Transition Center in Pompano Beach.
• Krome Immigration Detention Center in Miami.

The judge ordered ICE to release immigrants who do not pose an imminent danger to society.

According to the official statement, the number of detainees must reduce from 1,400 to 350 in each of the centers mentioned above.

This is very encouraging news for the entire immigrant community who fervently await a response to their immigration cases.

The Judge’s arguments

The official report has several arguments. Let’s look at some of them:

• Just at the Krome detention center in Miami, 9 immigrants tested positive on the COVID-19 test. In addition to that, more than 8 ICE employees tested positive as well.
• The judge claims that ICE has the full potential to monitor immigrants without having to detain them during the health crisis.
• Overcrowded centers could be hotbeds of the virus, therefore, it is better to free immigrants to avoid a possible catastrophe inside ICE’s facilities.
• Immigration detention centers do not have medical supplies or enough personnel to take care and save the people who live there.
• The US has approximately 29,680 detained immigrants around the country. Almost 525 have tested positive in the COVID-19 exam and only 1,073 of them have been tested. In other words, half of the tests came out positive and that represents a huge threat to detained immigrants and ICE employees.
• Most processes of the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) have delays due to the pandemic. The judge claims that it would be unfair to detain thousands of immigrants while they have to wait for a response to their residence requests.

Therefore, the judge decided to release them to protect the health of all people currently residing in the US.

Background of the same situation

It is important to remember that in mid-April, approximately 700 immigrants were released from ICE detention centers around the country due to the threat of the global pandemic.

Initially, the government released immigrants who have health problems and who are more vulnerable to the virus.

Released immigrants included elderly, pregnant women, and people with underlying respiratory problems.

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Organizations of immigrant rights advocates claim that these kind of decisions open a door to respect the international human rights and compliance with the US Constitution that is based on union and protection.

They state that the US has always been characterized as a country that offers help and support to people who need it the most and we must follow that cultural line to avoid losing our native values.

What does this represent for immigrants?

The release of hundreds of detainees represents hope for immigrant families who want to build a better future in the US.

Now more than ever, it is essential to organize a solid immigration case to avoid difficult situations for our families.

Therefore, if you have any questions about an immigration issue or relating to a case you may have currently in progress, then please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

Simply call Motion Law today at: (202) 918-1799.