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.
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— Rick Pluta is the Managing Editor and Reporter for the Michigan Public Radio network. Contact WEMU News at734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org
