Reports from several outlets have cast a glaring spotlight on the conditions facing migrants at the George H. Fallon Federal Building in downtown Baltimore, where they're being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — and it doesn't look pretty. According to a WBALTV report, migrants have been found sleeping on concrete floors, some without vital medication access, in a facility intended for brief 12-hour holding periods. However, attorney Adina Appelbaum of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights has clients who were allegedly detained for up to nine days.
WMAR's account aligns disconcertingly with those previously mentioned, immigration attorney Eric Lopez cited examples of individuals held for three to nine days under conditions far from humane, the rooms meant for short processing times are now places where migrants have to sleep on the floor, they don't have blankets, showers, or adequate food according to what Lopez told WMAR2 News. What's more, these claims were echoed in a visceral recount described by detainee April Amaya-Luis, who battled suicidal thoughts during a seven-day ordeal at the facility as detailed by The Baltimore Banner, with additional accounts from other immigration attorneys painting a similarly grim picture of the extended use of what should be a temporary holding space.
While protests occurred to demand transparency and adherence to humane treatment, ICE released statements across various reports underlining a commitment to lawful, fair, and dignified enforcement of immigration policies. ICE claimed that the Baltimore office "operates a holding room, not a detention facility" and hence is not governed by the same standards, as WMAR2 News detailed.
As reported by The Baltimore Banner, city and state officials have responded with opposition and dismay. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Governor Wes Moore have spoken against prolonged detainment and the lack of proper care, as the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights continues to coordinate legal assistance for detainees and the Free State Coalition organizes public demonstrations.
