ACLU sues to demand release of ICE detainees
Lawsuit claims held migrants are at heightened risk for coronavirus exposure
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of San Diego & Imperial Counties (ACLUF-SDIC) filed a class action lawsuit Tuesday seeking a drastic reduction in the number of detainees held at the Otay Mesa and Imperial Regional Detention Centers.
The suit claims the migrants held in the facilities are at heightened risk of serious illness or death due to coronavirus. It also seeks an emergency temporary restraining order calling for the immediate release, from Otay Mesa, of all people 45 and older, and for all those with underlying health issues.
The ACLUF-SDIC says Otay Mesa has the largest number of coronavirus cases of any Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center nationwide. Its report says 27 detaineed and 18 staff have contracted the illness. The lawsuit accuses ICE of taking no precautionary measures to protect migrants from exposure to the virus.
The lawsuit argues immediate court intervention is necessary to mitigate the outbreak, save lives, and preserve public health.
The suit was filed on behalf of a Cuban couple, a 19-year-old Guatemalan woman, and a Honduran woman. One plaintiff has HIV. Another has severe asthma. All claim to be threatened by conditions at the detention centers.
