Migrant Families Ask for Release Due To COVID-19

A group of migrant families have asked to be released from detention centers over concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to an emergency petition filed with a Washington D.C. federal court, the conditions of the migrant facility do not allow residents to practice “social distancing” required to prevent the spread of COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus.

In addition, the migrant families say they are worried that if they get sick, they will not be able to access adequate medical care.

“All of the families are at risk at present, and their situation presents a grave situation, a tinderbox, that once sparked will create a crisis that threatens the lives of the women, men and children who are detained in family residential centers,” states the motion filed on behalf of dozens of migrant families currently residing in these detention centers.

Are you concerned about loved ones who may be detained in a migrant facility? Get legal help by clicking here.

The plaintiffs include migrant families currently held at residential centers in Pennsylvania and Texas. They also include parents and their minor children placed in the detention facility while they seek asylum in the United States.

The migrant families point out the social distancing, along with proper hygiene and sanitation services are necessary to help prevent the spread of coronavirus in the facilities. “Social distancing” requires people to maintain at least six feet of space between one another, as well as physical isolation whenever possible and quarantine when exhibiting symptoms of the virus.

The facilities, according to the lawsuit, feature communal eating, living, and bathing spaces. In addition, residents sleep in close proximity to one another, making social distancing – a key in preventing the spread of COVID-19 – impossible.

Further, the migrant families say that they and other residents are not able to access appropriate sanitation services, including hand sanitizer and latex gloves. Nor have the facilities started ensuring all residents practice good handwashing practices or increased cleaning services, say the plaintiffs.

“The families are trapped and at risk of serious irreparable physical harm,” alleges the migrant families’ motion. “Their placement in family detention has created a dangerous situation that imminently threatens their lives, the lives of those in the surrounding communities, and the general public should a COVID-19 crisis spark within family detention.”

According to the lawsuit filed by the migrant families, hundreds residents have already come down with symptoms consistent with exposure to the coronavirus, including coughs, sore throats, and fevers. However, they say they are not being tested for the illness, which can cause mild to severe complications including death.

Further, medical services are not widely offered at the migrant detention facilities, according to the lawsuit. The migrant families say that they and other residents have had to wait upwards of eight hours to access medical services at the detention centers.

The medical facilities are already “overwhelmed and inadequately prepared” during normal times; the migrant families claim that they are concerned that the medical care available to them will be worse to nonexistent in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

The lawsuit is seeking a court order releasing those housed in the detention facilities. They say that an immediate release is the most efficient way for them to begin practicing social distancing, hygiene and sanitation, and to obtain medical care, as cases of coronavirus continue to rise.

Concerns Over Prisoners and Other Detainees During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Confined conditions present in prisons, jails, and other detention facilities and the propensity of COVID-19 to spread with close human contact have spurred a number of policy decisions and legal actions.

According to the motion filed by the migrant families, some criminal detention facilities have released non-violent offenders in order to safeguard their health and prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“Family Residential Centers are reserved for those asylum-seeking families who are not in criminal proceedings, do not pose a danger to the community, and are simply civil detainees,” points out the complaint. “Numerous experts in the field of infectious disease and public health warn that to contain the unchecked spread of the COVID-19 virus, Respondents must relocate as many people as possible out of these institutional settings.”

The plaintiffs are represented by Gregory P. Copeland and Sarah T. Gillman of Rapid Defense Network, Jacquelyn M. Kline and Amy Maldonado of ALDEA – the People’s Justice Center and Manoj Govindaiah and Curtis F.J. Doebbler of the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services.

The Migrant Families Lawsuit is O.M.G., et al. v. Wolf, et al., Case No. 1:20-cv-00786, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Join a Free Coronavirus Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you believe your rights were violated in a way that is directly related to the coronavirus pandemic, you may qualify to join this coronavirus class action lawsuit investigation. 

Join Here

Read More Lawsuit & Settlement News:

Black Lung Disease Once More on the Rise

How Can You Tell if You Have Lung Cancer Caused by Asbestos?

PetConnect Accuses Pet Sellers of Violating Calif. COVID-19 Shutdown

Talc Makeup & Other Products: Are They Safe?