Thirteen immigrant detainees held in Bakersfield and Yuba County have sued U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their release.
The advanced ages and underlying medical conditions of the detainees leave them particularly vulnerable to the new coronavirus, a news release announcing the lawsuit said. The lawsuit claims the close quarters and reported unsanitary conditions at the detention centers makes holding the individuals particularly risky at this time, and constitutes an illegal punishment for the civil detainees.
“I am extremely worried about the coronavirus because I have been told by a lot of people that I am at risk of having a very serious reaction,” said lead plaintiff Sofia Bahena Ortuno, a 64-year-old farmworker from Lamont, who was arrested during a traffic stop and detained at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in October.
