There are many lawyers and advocates working as hard as possible for the release of people detained by ICE, especially those particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 due to age or underlying medical conditions. Detained people live in very crowded conditions with little access to soap and have no masks. Those detained are terrified and desperate to be released to safety. There is currently a hunger strike in process at Mesa Verde detention center in Bakersfield, and detained folks who asked for masks were pepper sprayed at Otay Mesa detention facility in San Diego in recent days.
Watch this short video about the situation in local detention facilities:
https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/2020/03/detention-into-death-sentence/
Click on this link for instructions to make calls to ICE to demand release of certain individuals who are at high risk of COVID-19. A few people have already been released due to pressure on ICE, so it’s important for more people to call.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qXdeTFoLA38WT6oOOrCke6VWsoDkUrqf7YwTw5VAAHc/edit
Click on this link to donate to a fundraiser to help those at Mesa Verde detention center buy soap.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-commissaryfund-for-detained-hunger-strikers?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet
Click on this link to donate to the Bay Area Immigration Bond Fund to helps free detained folks who have been granted release but can’t afford bond.
https://www.bayareaimmigrationbondfund.org
There are a number of local funds to support immigrants who have lost jobs, housing, etc. during the current crisis and have no access to the safety net of benefits that some others can access. These are recommended by the Kehilla Immigration Committee:
https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/2020/03/strengthen-the-safety-net/
https://mujeresunidas.networkforgood.com/projects/96177-mua-covid19-immigrant-family-relief-fund
https://www.centrolegal.org/our-fund/?fbclid=IwAR31gUIlEx1gkPY4NroH94Sjmu4HDYEdxlWPXkIaiS6yldjwN7yBQx9LIDE