Press Release:
Hunger strikers at York County met with retaliation by ICE and Prison Officials
Call for immediate release of all individuals detained continues as IGSA contract end draws near and another round of transfers scheduled for June 31st, 2021
Philadelphia-PA
Local organizations Juntos, MILPA, VietLead, New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, and Asian Americans United emit a public statement revealing the retaliation by ICE and Prison officials against hunger strikers demanding liberation at York County Prison.
Starting Friday, July 23rd, dozens of our loved ones detained by ICE at York began a peaceful hunger strike to demand their immediate release, which the jail swiftly met with an aggressive response, sending six jail workers to pressure individuals to end the strike with tasers and firearms. Hunger strikers were immediately deprived of phones, TVs and showers - depriving them of their ability to contact their legal support and family. ICE regularly engages in abuse and retaliation against hunger strikers in detention, and evidence shows the great lengths to which ICE will go to end hunger strikers rather than engage with legitimate demands.
Furthermore, severe racial disparity continues for those released versus those who are transferred; several strikers who are Black immigrants felt that their race contributed to their continued prolonged detention. Evidence shows that, like the prison system, the immigration detention system is grossly anti-Black. While only 7% of non-citizens in the U.S. are Black, Black immigrants make up 20% of people facing deportation on criminal grounds in the U.S.
Community organizations have mobilized since the news broke that the ICE contract would not be renewed with York on June 1st, calling for ICE to halt all transfers of community members still detained. This collective effort has resulted in the release of 92 community members so far. Despite this, transfers are set to continue this Saturday, further threatening to send those who are detained far away from their community of support and legal support in Pennsylvania.