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Nahom is a refugee and lawful permanent resident, originally from Eritrea. He has lived in the US for 20 years now.
This is the story of how he ended up in immigrant detention during the pandemic.
This is the story of how he ended up in immigrant detention during the pandemic.
Nahom’s family left Eritrea when he was 8 years old, following years of war and civil unrest. Relatives living in the US were able to help them get status as lawful permanent residents.
When Nahom was 18, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
Taking care of himself became a battle. Nahom needed pain and anxiety medications and struggled to get the care he needed. Ultimately, he was charged with prescription fraud.
Taking care of himself became a battle. Nahom needed pain and anxiety medications and struggled to get the care he needed. Ultimately, he was charged with prescription fraud.
As so often happens in the criminal legal system, Nahom took a plea bargain, thinking it would get him home to his family quickly.
“I wasn’t thinking about immigration, I was just thinking about my parents back home. My mom’s 78, and my dad’s 91; I needed to take care of them.”
“I wasn’t thinking about immigration, I was just thinking about my parents back home. My mom’s 78, and my dad’s 91; I needed to take care of them.”
But he now had a conviction on his record, so instead of allowing him to return home, immigration officials took Nahom to the York County Prison, a detention facility in Pennsylvania. http://yorkdispatch.com/story/news/local/2020/03/25/humanitarian-crisis-aclu-sues-york-county-prison-behalf-ice-detainees/5078312002/&sa=D&ust=1598632544612000&usg=AFQjCNH82R3mKYhkjCzY0hENLFlmkv4y0A
Nahom received inadequate medical care, as the detention center ignored the risks of COVID-19. Only guards were given masks, and they did not wear them consistently.
Detainees turned to a hunger strike to advocate for access to basic safety measures. https://www.ydr.com/story/news/crime/2020/03/29/immigrants-york-county-prison-hunger-strike-amid-coronavirus/2935640001/&sa=D&ust=1598648934958000&usg=AFQjCNE-93sQzEqXL4h8J4FhCOLBU7Q6xA
Detainees turned to a hunger strike to advocate for access to basic safety measures. https://www.ydr.com/story/news/crime/2020/03/29/immigrants-york-county-prison-hunger-strike-amid-coronavirus/2935640001/&sa=D&ust=1598648934958000&usg=AFQjCNE-93sQzEqXL4h8J4FhCOLBU7Q6xA
After two months of being detained by ICE, Nahom was able to secure a medical release from prison due to his Crohn’s disease.
For him, freedom meant the ability to take care of his health and his family. Upon release, he went immediately to his parents’ home.
For him, freedom meant the ability to take care of his health and his family. Upon release, he went immediately to his parents’ home.
Nahom is one of the 70,000 people who have been detained and put at serious risk during this pandemic.
You can read more about his story and those of the people we profiled here. https://www.aclu.org/immigrantstories?initms_aff=nat&initms_chan=soc&utm_medium=soc&initms=200830_covid_feature_tw&utm_source=tw&utm_campaign=covid&utm_content=200830_immigration_feature&ms_aff=nat&ms_chan=soc&ms=200830_covid_feature_tw
You can read more about his story and those of the people we profiled here. https://www.aclu.org/immigrantstories?initms_aff=nat&initms_chan=soc&utm_medium=soc&initms=200830_covid_feature_tw&utm_source=tw&utm_campaign=covid&utm_content=200830_immigration_feature&ms_aff=nat&ms_chan=soc&ms=200830_covid_feature_tw
