ICE Ends Free Phone Call Program, Leaving Detainees Isolated and Struggling
Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently terminated a program that allowed detainees in immigration custody to make a small number of free phone calls each month, causing significant distress for individuals like a man from Pakistan who had been utilizing the service to speak with his family. The abrupt end of the program has left many detainees, who are often facing mental health struggles, feeling lonely and isolated.
Attorneys and advocates have reported that the loss of the free phone call program has also hindered detainees’ ability to communicate with their legal representatives and gather necessary evidence for their immigration cases. ICE did not provide a comment on the decision to end the program, but experts believe it may be related to cost-cutting measures.
Advocacy groups have urged Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to reinstate the program, emphasizing that depriving detainees of this service ignores their basic humanity and further isolates them. The move to eliminate the program comes amid increased scrutiny over the conditions inside ICE facilities and concerns about inadequate communication and support for detainees.
The sudden loss of the free phone call program has prompted protests and hunger strikes among detainees in various facilities, with individuals demanding the restoration of the service along with other improvements in their treatment and care. As detainees continue to endure hardships and uncertainty, advocates are calling for greater attention to their plight and for policy changes to ensure their rights and well-being are protected.
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