© 2024 WEMU
Serving Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, MI
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

ACLU Asks Court To Order Release Of Vulnerable Detainees

Prison
Wikipedia Media Commons
/
wikipedia.org

Two lawsuits seek the release of medically vulnerable immigrants being detained in three county jails in Michigan by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  Rick Pluta has more.

The lawsuits were filed by the ACLU.  The legal actions say detainees who are older or have some underlying medical conditions cannot be safely held in county jails.  ACLU attorney Dan Korobkin says this is a dangerous time for the detainees as the coronavirus continues to spread in Michigan.  He says social distancing and strict hygiene cannot be practices in jails.

“Immigrant detention should not be a death sentence. Jails are not designed or equipped to protect against this extraordinary, unprecedented public health crisis.”

The lawsuit was filed against ICE on behalf of seven detainees being held in Calhoun, Monroe, and Saint Clair counties.  But Korobkin says there could be hundreds of detainees facing the same risks in Michigan.

Non-commercial, fact based reporting is made possible by your financial support.  Make your donation to WEMU today to keep your community NPR station thriving.

Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

— Rick Pluta is the Managing Editor and Reporter for the Michigan Public Radio network.  Contact WEMU News at 734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org

Rick Pluta is the managing editor for the Michigan Public Radio Network.
Related Content