Immigration Justice

Public Health Impact

Facilitates social distancing by eliminating multiple high-risk aspects of the enforcement process - arrest, detention in close quarters, court-hearings, and deportation flights.

COVID-19 AT BRISTOL COUNTY HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS

THE PROBLEM:

For weeks people have expressed concerns about exposure to COVID-19 within the Bristol County House of Corrections' ICE detention unit, following the public release of a letter signed by 51 men detained there. On Friday May 1, several men in detention felt sick with symptoms of COVID-19. Rather than using available medical space in their unit to test them, staff told them to pack their belongings before going for testing. In the past, this has been a pretext to put people into solitary confinement. People refused to be transported, fearing solitary confinement without medical care, or transfer to an un-sanitized medical unit. Staff assaulted and pepper sprayed members of the unit, further endangering them. Riot police and canine units were called to the facility. Three people were taken to the hospital. The condition of those left behind is unknown, but many, if not all, may have been placed in solitary confinement and face multiple charges after being assaulted by government employees.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

  1. Contact Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and your state representative and ask that they visit Bristol and demand entry (their right as our elected representatives) and visit people previously housed on Unit B. (State Senator Sonia Chang Diaz was illegally denied entry Saturday.)

  2. If you use social media, spread the word using the hashtag #FreeThemAll! Amplify on Twitter and Facebook the reports and stories of folks inside from CT Bail Fund, Fang Collective, Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network.

  3. Urge Todd Thurlow, ICE's acting Regional Director, to #freethemall through a no-contact protest project. Sign up here! (organized by BIJAN)

  4. Ask any high profile medical professionals to call Bristol jail and St. Luke's to inquire about people's well-being. BIJAN has heard that people are in solitary and have not been allowed to shower after being pepper sprayed which is very dangerous for folks with asthma, COVID or lung issues.

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