In light of the unprecedented pandemic facing our nation, immigrant and refugee detainees  must be released. This includes, but is not limited to, asylum applicants, migrants in family detention, and migrants in detention solely because they are in civil removal proceedings.  

Alternatives to detention, including release on recognizance or a minimal bond, are extremely effective in ensuring compliance with immigration check-ins and hearings. More than 95 percent of immigrants released with case management show up for all of their hearings—and even for removal, if that is the final decision.  

 Jails and prisons are among the most dangerous settings during this time. Confinement in close quarters allows for neither social distancing nor sufficient sanitation.  A prison doctor in Los Angeles wrote that “Prisons are petri dishes for contagious respiratory illnesses.”  

On March 17, New York DOC officials said there were no confirmed cases of Covid-19 in city jails. The next day, one incarcerated person and a prison guard were confirmed with the virus. On March 21, 21 prisoners and 17 employees at Rikers Island tested positive for the virus.   

The first positive tests for COVID-19 among detention staff and among detained immigrants have now been reported. Most detainees with symptoms are not even being tested. More positive tests would undoubtedly be reported if more testing were conducted.  

If it is not already too late to prevent COVID-19 infections from sweeping through detention centers, and then from bursting into the community as infected correctional officers return nightly to their families, ICE and EOIR must act now to prioritize alternatives to detention and drastically reduce the number of detained individuals.  

Call and write to the following people to demand immediate release of detainees and safer conditions for any who remain: 

 

Chief Counsel Jim Stolley
Office of the Principal Legal Advisor
1 Federal Drive, Suite 1800
Fort Snelling, MN, 55111
Phone: (612) 843-8600

Field Office Director Peter Berg
St Paul Field Office
1 Federal Drive, Suite 1601
Fort Snelling, MN 55111
Phone: (612) 843-8600 

Also, call the duty officer for the St. Paul ICE Field Office to pressure ICE to agree to set reasonable bonds for detainees: 

Phone: (612) 843-8600 

Email: StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov 

Dear Community, 

We are facing an indescribably difficult time as a community, as a country, and as a world with the spread of COVID-19.  There are many uncertainties, unknowns, and concerns right now. What has been and will always remain certain, however, is that our top priority as an organization is the health and well-being of our staff, our clients, and our community.   

After much careful consideration, we have decided to close ILCM’s physical offices and have all staff work from home starting Wednesday, March 18 through Tuesday, March 31 at a minimum. We did not come to this decision lightly.   

USCIS and the immigration courts remain open, although on a limited basis, and their schedules are subject to change at any time. Some deadlines, interviews, and hearings are still scheduled and some will be rescheduled. Technology to facilitate client interactions is ubiquitous, but it is not easily accessible for large segments of our community. However, I am convinced that closing our physical offices is necessary to protect the health of our clients, our staff, and our community, and to enable us to continue serve immigrant and refugee communities in the short and long term.  

What does this mean as a practical matter?  

• ILCM’s phone lines will remain open. You can continue to reach us at (651) 641-1011. 
• ILCM’s intake will remain open. Please consult our webpage for intake hours, phone numbers, and priorities. 
• ILCM will continue to provide advice, counsel, and representation, but will do so primarily via phone and videoconference.   
• ILCM will continue to represent clients before USCIS and at immigration court hearings, but we will be working to postpone/continue as many interviews and hearings as possible. 
• ILCM will continue to be available to mentor and support pro bono attorneys. 
• ILCM will continue to inform the community of developments in immigration law and to advocate for a fair and humane immigration system, but will not be conducting in-person outreach or advocacy until April 15 at a minimum.   
• To the extent that ILCM has any in-person interactions with members of the public during this pandemic, they will follow the CDC’s guidelines regarding social distancing which, at this time means that they will remain at least 6 feet away from others and will discontinue any interaction in which the other person does not follow the CDC’s guidelines. 

Over the next few days, we will be focusing on readying staff to be able to continue to serve our clients and the community while working from home. Our staff is working tirelessly to put these plans in place. But we know there will be hiccups along the way. Also, our leadership has made these decisions based on the current guidance of public health experts and public officials. As we have seen, that guidance can change within hours, as will the practices of USCIS and the immigration courts, all of which we are constantly monitoring. We are therefore prepared to—and anticipate having to—modify our plans and protocols quickly to ensure we are protecting the health of our staff, our clients, and the community. We will continue to keep you informed of developments in our operations through our website, social media, and through emails.  

We ask for your patience, compassion, and support—and extend our own—during this unprecedented time. As I have said to our staff and board and as I will repeat here, in this moment of great uncertainty, I find myself giving thanks multiple times per day for the things I can count on—my family, my friends, and the ILCM community.    

With hope and determination, 

Veena Iyer 

Executive Director