On Wednesday, activists with Never Again Action New Hampshire sent Gov. Chris Sununu a 400-signature petition urging the immediate release of civilly-detained immigrants from Strafford County NH jail, to protect the public from the spread of COVID-19. The group also sent the petition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and multiple state and county officials.
The Strafford County jail maintains approximately 100 beds under contract with ICE (Immigration and Custom Enforcement) for immigrants detained in six New England states or transferred here from other detention centers. As neighboring states, including New York and New Jersey, experience outbreaks of the COVID-19 virus in their jails, they are moving to release healthy non-criminal inmates. New Jersey announced (March 23) the release of 1,000 inmates to curb the risk of contagion.
COVID-19 virus is especially dangerous to inmates and staff because social distancing is not possible in a correctional setting. Correctional facilities are not well-equipped to provide hospital-quality care or even burials.
“Jails housing crowds of immigrants are set to become incubators for COVID-19. When — not if — these tinderboxes explode, they are not equipped to provide hospital-quality care or even burials. Inevitably, the virus will wash back into the community through guards, staff and their families, exerting pressure on our hospitals and health care providers. Inevitably, the virus will infect the corrections officers, staff, and their families, endangering all the citizens of New Hampshire, and adding to the pressure on our hospitals. Because of the nature of this virus, action must be taken as soon as possible to protect our community before, rather than after, an outbreak occurs,” said Laura Aronson, organizer of Never Again Action New Hampshire.
A report by the American Immigration Lawyers Association states, “Two national alternatives to detention programs initiated in recent years reported 97% appearance rates in immigration court.” Aronson added, “The civilly-detained immigrants in Strafford County Jail are not serving criminal sentences and are not a danger to the community. Many are asylum seekers exercising an internationally recognized right. Most have family, friends and homes to shelter in place in the community.”
The NAA NH petition asks Governor Sununu and public officials to:
Work for the release of asylum seekers and other civilly detained immigrants from Strafford County jail and halt new admissions from ICE.
Enable them to move back into their communities and reunite with their families by empowering social-service agencies and supportive faith groups to do the work that will be needed.
Work to eliminate or sharply reduce their unaffordable bonds.
Remove those who are ill or suspected of having Covid-19 to a healthcare facility instead of solitary confinement.
According to Aronson, “Never again means never again. The national organization was founded in 2019 by Jews motivated by their prophetic tradition and their history of oppression. Its goal is to prevent ICE, DHS, CBP, and the corporations that support them from doing business as usual. Activists in the New Hampshire chapter are diverse, including Jews and people from a wide range of religious backgrounds.”