Immigrants are tested for coronavirus before they go into the custody of ICE according to Attorney Vidhi Bamzai with the Southern Poverty Law Center. She says those who test positive are quarantined for 14 days. Bamzai says many immigrants are transferred to the Adams County Detention Center in Natchez, for short stays and that's increasing the spread of COVID 19.
"Folks are being transferred in and out of Adams, which is in direct violation of ICE 's policy to limit transfers at this time," said Bamzai.
This week immigrants rights groups filed a complaint with Homeland Security, saying last Saturday, ICE reported nearly 390 COVID 19 cases at the facility. Bamzai says there's no social distancing and limited sanitizing supplies. As of Thursday, ICE lists 415 cases on it website. Bamzai says immigrants seeking asylum shouldn't be held in detention centers but released to family.
"Public health experts and epidemiologist, community members, advocates, everybody is on the same page that folks should not be in ICE detention. And the only people who don't seem to be on that page is the Biden-Harris Administration," said Bamzai.
An ICE spokesperson said in a statement the population at the jail has increased from under 300 in December to nearly 1,100 and medical staff is reducing further spread of COVID 19.
The private company CoreCivic operates the Adams County jail for the federal government. In a statement they say they're working with government partners to respond to this unprecedented situation appropriately.
