U.S. ICE Facility Detainees Launch Hunger Strike Over Prolonged Detention and Conditions
At least 73 immigrants detained at the privately run Folkston D Ray James ICE Processing Center in Georgia have initiated a hunger strike. The detainees, many of whom are asylum seekers, are protesting prolonged detention and alleged poor conditions within the facility. They are demanding their release while their immigration and asylum cases proceed through the U.S. court system. An open letter signed by 45 detained men, some held since October 2023, calls on Congress, judges, and the public to intervene. The letter highlights that many have been detained for 16 months to nearly three years without being accused of a crime, questioning the fairness of prolonged detention without individual assessments of flight risk or danger. Allegations include inadequate medical and dental care, unhealthy food, cramped living quarters, limited access to sunlight and fresh air, and difficulty communicating with ICE officials. Some GEO Group employees are also accused of hostile and xenophobic behavior, with threats of s...
