The NW Ohio Network for Immigrant Rights is calling on Seneca County Sheriff Eckelberry to take immediate action to protect the over 100 immigrant detainees housed in the Seneca County Jail. The Network is comprised of representatives from multiple faith groups, non-profit organizations, as well as concerned citizens, who act in solidarity with the immigrant community. They outlined their concerns in a letter (see below) that was sent to the Sheriff Eckelberry. The letter was also sent to U.S. Senator Brown, U.S. Senator Portman, Governor DeWine, Ohio Representative Reineke, Ohio Senator Burke, ICE Field Office Director Michael Klinger, and Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections Director Chambers-Smith.
The Network is gravely concerned for the safety of all inmates currently located in Seneca County jail and urges the Sheriff to take heed of the many health advisories regarding prisons. In order to make social distancing possible, there is a need to depopulate the jail. Civil immigrant detainees and those with existing risk factors for more severe COVID-19 consequences should be considered for immediate release.
There is a need to be pro-active to avoid a crisis, citing National Immigration Forum findings that 124 of 400 tested ICE detainees had tested positive from COVID-19. The serious threat of outbreaks in these facilities has already lead to lawsuits from the ACLU which resulted in the release of three immigrant detainees from the Morrow County Jail in Ohio, with additional cases still pending.
We urged the Sheriff to take responsibility for human lives. The detainees were sentenced to detention, not sentenced to death. They deserve health, safety, human dignity, and respect.
Released by La Conexion, a member organization within the NW Ohio Network for Immigrant Rights.
The NW Ohio Network for Immigrant Rights is made up of organizations, faith-communities, and other groups in our region who are working in solidarity with the immigrant community to build a humane, just, safe, equitable, and welcoming community for us all through coordinated advocacy, education, and direct support.
Friday, May 1, 2020
Dear Sheriff Eckelberry:
The NW Ohio Network for Immigrant Rights is comprised of representatives from multiple faith groups, advocacy organizations and concerned citizens acting in solidarity with the immigrant community. We are writing to you as citizens of NW Ohio who are deeply concerned about the effects of COVID-19 on immigrant detainees in our jails and prisons. Recognizing the extreme pressure you and other leaders are under at this
critical time, we respectfully submit our demands as Ohio taxpayers for the detainees under your jurisdiction in the Seneca County Jail:
- Release immigrant detainees for their health and safety. Doctors have advised officials to reduce jail populations and reduce mass outbreaks. It is impossible for jails to meet the social distancing
requirements for COVID-19 and many jails do not have the masks, soap and disinfectant to follow the CDC guidelines. If detainees are released to their families, they can shelter-at-home and avoid the
ravages of the virus. Criminal justice experts have proposed a plan to decarcerate, starting with detainees who have the highest health risks and civil immigration detainees, then people who have completed most of their sentence and those who have not yet been convicted and are being held because they cannot afford to pay bail. - Be proactive to avoid a much larger crisis. According to the National Immigration Forum on April 17, 2020, ICE Acting Director Matthew Albence testified that 124 immigrants detained by ICE had tested
positive for COVID-19, out of 400 total tests. This is an indication of a growing health crisis in ICE facilities as the number of positive results per test far exceeds the national average. As you may know, last weekend the Morrow County Jail had 10 inmates held on civil immigration charges who tested positive for COVID-19. The ACLU sued ICE demanding the release of medically-vulnerable immigrants.
We urge you to take responsibility for human lives. The detainees were sentenced to detention, not sentenced to death. They deserve health, safety, human dignity and respect. - Best regards,
Beatriz Maya on behalf of The NW Ohio Network for Immigrant Rights
CC: Senator Sherrod Brown, US. Senate
Senator Rob Portman, U.S. Senate
Governor Mike DeWine, State of Ohio
Representative Bill Reineke, Ohio House
Senator Dave Burke, Ohio Senate
Director Michael Klinger, ICE Detroit Field Office
Director Annette Chambers-Smith, ODRC
