American Citizens Deported as Illegal Aliens

Here is a very interesting link to an Associated Press news story by Suzanne Gamboa on American citizens who have been deported as illegal aliens. The story goes on to state that possibly hundreds of American citizens have been held and/or deported by ICE. I would encourage all of The 270 View's readers to read the story.

The story can be found here.

Immigration Protest in Atlanta, GA

Yesterday Anton Flores (Alterna Community) contacted us about the Pilgrimage for Immigrants that he is currently participating in. You can read his reports on this event on his blog Drive Fast for Lent. Mr. Flores has invited anyone who is concerned about the current immigration issue to join in on the Pilgrimage for Immigrants march. Information on where you need to go to participate is included below. The march will end with a press conference by the Georgia Detention Watch at the Atlanta, GA ICE Field Office. Additional information on the march can be found here.

Monday, April 6 – LAWRENCEVILLE
9:30 a.m. Assemble at Catedral de Fe, 675 Buford Drive, Lawrenceville
11:15 a.m. Prayers at Gwinnett Sheriff’s Department
3:30 p.m. Pilgrimage ends at church on Grayson Highway in Lawrenceville

Tuesday, April 7 – LILBURN to DULUTH
9 a.m. Pilgrimage begins at Our Lady of the Americas Mission, 460 Lawrenceville Highway, Lilburn, GA
4 p.m. Pilgrimage ends at Santa Fe Mall, 3750 Venture Boulevard, Duluth, GA

Wednesday, April 8 – NORCROSS to DORAVILLE to CHAMBLEE
9 a.m. Pilgrimage begins at Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church,
2140 Beaver Ruin Road, Norcross
2:30 p.m. Pilgrimage ends at Plaza Fiesta, 4166 Buford Highway, Atlanta

Thursday, April 9 – SMYRNA to MARIETTA
9:30 a.m. Prayer service and pilgrimage commencement at Saint Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 4300 King Springs Road, Smyrna
2 p.m. Foot washing at Marietta Square, 50 East Park Square, Marietta
3 p.m. Pilgrimage ends at Marietta Square

Friday, April 10 – ATLANTA (dual routes)
STANDARD ROUTE, Pilgrimage for Immigrants:
8 a.m. Gather at Nipponzan Myohoji-Atlanta Dojo, 1127 Glenwood Ave., Atlanta 30316
10 a.m. Georgia Detention Watch press conference at ICE Field Office, 180 Spring St., Atlanta
12 p.m. Speak at 13th Station of the Cross at the Catholic Charities’ Good Friday Pilgrimage, Georgia Justice Project, 438 Edgewood Avenue, Atlanta
Afternoon Join Good Friday pilgrimage to King grave sites; then walk back to Nipponzan Myohoji-Atlanta Dojo

ALTERNATE FRIDAY ROUTE, Catholic Charities’ Good Friday Pilgrimage:
9 a.m. Begin at State Capitol, Washington Street side between MLK Jr. Drive and Mitchell St.
1 p.m. Ends together with standard route at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Crypt
Buses will be available at conclusion of event to transport participants from King Center to the State Capitol area.

New York Times Article Shows that CCA is Number One in Detainee Deaths Among All Private Detention Operators

Last week the New York Times revealed the results of an investigation into detainee deaths while at ICE facilities or ICE contracted facilities. This list was compiled by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) and received by the New York Times through a Freedom of Information request. It documents that more than 90 people have died while in ICE custody since 2003. Roberto Martinez Medina who died on March 11, 2009 while in Correction Corporation of America's custody at the Stewart Detention Center is not included.

The times counted 32 of these deaths as happening at privately operated detention centers. The list shows that 18 of the detainee deaths happened while the detainee was in Corrections Corporation of America's custody. Adding Roberto Martinez Medina to the list, this means that 19 Detainees have died while in Corrections Corporation of America's custody since 2003. CCA who are quite proud of there number one status in many things are also evidently number one in deaths among all of the for profit companies. Previously The 270 View has also reported on how CCA's Torrance County Detention Facility (Estancia, New Mexico) had more sexual victimization occuring at it than had happened at any other prison in the United States. I guess you could rightfully say that CCA is correct when it says that it is a proven industry leader.

The New York Times article also addresses how at a March 3 House subcommittee hearing ICE had cited that there had only been six deaths in private facilities. Obviously this was not accurate.

It is worth mentioning that twelve of the total number of ICE deaths are listed as suicides and one is listed as self inflected (which likely was also a suicide). Two of these suicides appear to of happened at CCA's Eloy facility. These numbers are very troubling to me.

The New York Times article is available online here.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency provided list of detainee deaths made available by the New York Times Freedom of Information requests are here and here.