The Conversation (0)
Narjas Zatat
Jun 17, 2019
Picture:
ICE/Twitter grab
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a set of photos of positive images of its detention centres, including migrants reading and playing sports - a stark contrast to reports about human rights abuses in its facilities.
A number of pictures posted on the ICE Twitter page showed a variety of images showing people laughing and eating food in the detention centres.
ICE provided an “extensive media tour.”
The organisation boasted of opening a “dedicated unit for transgender women in the Cibola County Correctional Center in New Mexico.”
ICE went on to talk about its medical facilities.
And the so-called "care" provided to detained individuals.
Needless to say, people pointed out ICE's bad reputation and allegations of mistreatment of children and LGBT+ people and migrants in general.
"Vile obfuscation."
Criticism quickly descended on the Twitter thread as people pointed out that children and transgender people have died in ICE facilities. Earlier this month a trans woman seeking asylum died after pleading for medical help in US custody.
A transgender woman from El Salvador died after falling ill at a private Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centre in New Mexico and drew new scrutiny to a facility that has faced allegations of mistreatment of gay and transgender detainees. The Transgender Law Centre has filed a lawsuit alleging improper care by ICE contributed to Ms Hernandez’s death, an allegation ICE has denied.
An investigation found nooses in cells of the detention centres, people being served spoiled food and detainees in isolation.
Homeland security inspectors visited four Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) centres and described “egregious violations” of standards at two of them including inadequate medical care.
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