A number of local LGBT, Latino and immigrant community organizations gathered at the Berks Family Residential Center this week to protest what they called the deplorable treatment of its detainees.
The “Berks is No Model, Close it Down” rally and conference took place Monday morning at the BFRC in Leesport. Community organizations in attendance included GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Organization, Juntos, The Gran Varones Project, Migrant Power Movement and The #Not1More Campaign.
About 15 protesters stood outside the facility to coincide with a special tour of the detention center by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for a group of non-governmental organization representatives. Protesters held signs that read “Chosen families know no border,” “Queer liberation, end incarceration” and others. Rainbow Mexican and Puerto Rican flags were also flown.
According to GALAEI board member Miguel Andrade, the coalition has been working with several of the families in the Berks facility, one of three ICE-operated family detention centers in the nation.
“We have been working with a few families for a few months now, learning what conditions are like inside,” Andrade said. “And we got the heads up from them that they were going to show a group of national NGOs around. On tours like this, facility operators make it seem like this is the best place ever. They give ice cream to the kids, have the women play Bingo and let people outside.”
Andrade said protesters were there early enough to speak with some of the NGO representatives, and give them lists of “informed questions” to ask the operators giving the tour.
“We had a list of 10 questions that we were able to give some of the tour participants,” Andrade said. “We were even able to talk with some of them. They heard us and I think we got our message across and were very clear.”
Specific concerns that the protesters wanted to call attention to include a 10-woman work strike on behalf of children at the facility as young as 13 who they say were being forced to work; reports of children suffering from diarrhea, vomiting and fevers without receiving proper medical attention; alleged sexual abuse of a 19-year-old mother by a guard and more.
According to a statement prepared by rally organizers, immigrant detention, especially of vulnerable populations like LGBTs and transgender immigrants in particular, often results in unfair and unsafe outcomes. The rally also protested the treatment of women and children.
“There is no model for trans detention,” said Jorge Gutierrez of FAMILIA: TQLM. “ICE has proven time and time again that it can’t keep transgender detainees safe in its custody. Detention in itself is cruel and unusual. The solution is to end immigrant detention, not try to make it a cozier experience.”
Andrade agreed with the need to shut down the Berks facility.
“Our end goal is to ultimately shut down this detention center and others like it,” he said. “The conditions here at Berks are reflective of how detainees are treated at similar facilities around the country.”
On Tuesday, U.S. Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Michael Honda (D-Calif.), along with 33 other members of Congress, sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security urging additional discretion when handling LGBT detainees to better ensure their safety through the immigration process.
“LGBT individuals face unique threats in detention facilities, and we must do everything in our power to protect them,” Grijalva said in a statement. “The good news is ICE has policies in place to help address these needs. The bad news is they are not utilizing those policies, and in some cases, ignoring them outright. This disregard facilitates sexual assault against the LGBT community, which is completely unacceptable.”