Two women living in Maryland who were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will remain in the United States after a federal judge ruled to suspend their deportation. U.S. District Court Judge Julie Rubin clarified that her ruling applies solely to these two individuals and does not serve as a nationwide injunction.
The federal class action lawsuit was initiated earlier this month by the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights and the National Immigration Project. Their attorneys assert that the women had been lawfully residing in Maryland for an extended period. While the women’s identities remain undisclosed, their attorneys revealed that one is Guatemalan and the other is from El Salvador.
Both women faced abrupt detention despite regularly checking in with immigration authorities while holding lawful status. Ian Rose, managing attorney at the Amica Center, noted that one woman was held in the Baltimore facility for more than 60 hours, while the other spent approximately 48 hours there, far exceeding ICE’s own detention policies.
Rose emphasized the courage of the women for representing a larger class of detainees. Sirine Shebaya, executive director of the National Immigration Project, criticized the current immigration enforcement approach, claiming it leads to systematic violations of individual rights in an effort to meet quotas. She described the conditions in the holding rooms, stating, “The overcrowding, unlawful detention, and inhumane conditions are a direct outcome of ICE’s dragnet policies.”
The Amica Center’s lawyers contend that the women were subjected to illegal detention in “inhumane” conditions at the George Fallon Federal Building. They were subsequently moved to other facilities in New Jersey and Denver, prompting concerns over ICE’s practice of relocating detainees without notice. “This is a common occurrence,” Rose stated. “We often see individuals disappear, which is why we filed this motion.”
Adina Appelbaum, program director for the Immigration Impact Lab at the Amica Center, asserted that ICE’s detention issues stem from its own mismanagement. “Instead of releasing those they lack the capacity to detain, they are systematically locking people up for extended periods in conditions that violate their own policies,” she said.
Advocacy and community leaders had expressed concerns regarding the Baltimore facility prior to this ruling. In March, numerous community members rallied outside, raising awareness of the treatment of detainees. Staff members from U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks visited the facility, and following their observations, wrote to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons.
In the letter, the senators highlighted violations of ICE’s standards, such as prolonged detention times, overcrowding, inadequate food services, and a lack of medical staff on site. They noted the average detention period had extended to about 1.5 days, significantly longer than the six to eight hours the facility is designed to accommodate. During their visit, staff members learned that detainees frequently lacked access to adequate medical care and that the facility did not have a food service contract.
The Baltimore facility’s overcrowding issues were particularly alarming, as it held up to 54 detainees at a time in an unsuitable space. Amid these conditions, ICE staff had resorted to purchasing food from local fast-food restaurants to feed detainees.
The case continues to unfold, as advocates strive to bring attention to what they characterize as grave abuses of power by ICE in managing immigrant detention.
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