Immigrants exploited, abused at US detention centers

Immigrants are suffering in a number of ways while trapped in private detention centers in the US, and the struggle to see loved ones is but one of them.

Immigrants held in detention in the country were banned from visits by relatives and friends for more than two years during the pandemic, NPR reported on Monday.

As of Nov 7, nearly 30,000 individuals were held in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities.

Some migrants were detained after arriving at the US border without proper paperwork. Others were arrested due to a criminal conviction. Many are detained for more than a year.

ICE lifted the visit ban in May, but the new policy has not been fully reinstated by detention centers, most of which are run by private and for-profit companies.

As of Nov 14, 52 out of 113 ICE sites in the US were listed as yellow or red status, meaning their COVID response includes temporarily restricting in-person visits.

Individual facilities also have the power to use additional protective measures at any time to prevent the spread of COVID.

Advocates for immigrants have raised concerns about the authority given to detention centers.

Earlier this month, 140 immigrant advocacy organizations asked the US government to intervene and urge ICE facilities to offer in-person visits regardless of a facility's COVID status.

The advocates also said video calls for people in ICE detention should be free of charge. It currently costs more than $3 for 15 minutes.

COVID-19 outbreaks have been a concern in ICE facilities throughout the pandemic. The agency has been under fire over a reported lack of soap, face masks and social distancing in some detention centers.

Lack of access to in-person visits can also hinder immigration advocates from monitoring human rights violations. People in detention centers worry phone calls and handwritten letters are being closely monitored by ICE officers and could lead to retaliation.

A previous report by The New York Times also showed how the US government's reliance on private prisons to house immigrants resulted in many problems.

A young immigrant killed himself at a New Mexico detention facility whose conditions were described as "atrocious" in the September report. It was the third death of a detainee in ICE custody over the past year.

Complaints about the conditions at the detention facilities in the country have persisted for years, but ICE consistently reports nearly all of its detention facilities comply with national standards, the Times report said.