Coronavirus Cases Increased Among Detained Immigrants

The number of coronavirus cases among immigrants in detention centers has increased by 520% since the start of the year, prompting calls for more vaccination and detainee releases.

ICE monitored and isolated 1,766 immigrants due to confirmed COVID-19 infections, which is a sixfold jump from January 3, when there were 285 active cases.

8% of the 22,000 immigrants ICE is currently holding in its network of 200 detention centers, county jails, and for-profit prisons have coronavirus. ICE has reported 11 coronavirus-related deaths of detainees.

The officials said they expected this surge due to the Omicron variant. Many immigration activists worry about ICE’s detainee vaccination campaign, a significant vaccine refusal rate, frequent facility-to-facility transfers, and the agency’s decision to keep thousands of immigrants with underlying medical conditions in detention.

Call the Law Office of Tuan Le if you think you have issues with your immigration process and want to be represented by an experienced immigration lawyer.