Phone Call from IAH Detention Facility: "The medical area is full, it's overwhelmed."

by Cindy Knoebel

Yet another desperate plea for help has emerged, this time from a man detained at the IAH Secure Adult Detention Facility in Livingston, TX.

Yesterday, No More Deaths released an audio recording of a phone call from the man identified only as "Isidro." A video of the recording, which is in Spanish, contains English subtitles.

"Quiero denunciar las pesimas condiciones en que nos encontramos (I want to denounce the terrible conditions we find ourselves in)," the call begins. Isidro goes on to report there are more than 20 people in each cell with no social distancing. "Hemos visto entrar ambulancias y salir con personas equipadas ... personas con acoplado (We have seen ambulances come and go with people in medical suits ... people in hazmat suits)." Isidro, who indicates he is 60 and has chronic gastritis and a "weak immune system," says that he has requested to be seen by a doctor but has received no response. He also reports that a person with a high fever was denied a doctor's visit and that the medical area is overwhelmed with people with fevers and dry coughs.

Freedom for Immigrant's Interactive Detention Map contains notes from calls received by its COVID-19 hotline volunteers. On May 18th, a caller reported from inside IAH that "They are providing us with very limited personal hygene products. We don't get a toothbrush. We are 24 people in quarantine in the dorms. Many of us suffer from headaches and fever but when the doctor comes all they do is take our temperature. They don't treat us, they just give us painkillers. We have tried protesting but we cannot afford to do it because the food they give us is so little. Commissary is very expensive so we cannot pay for anything extra."

As of yesterday, ICE has acknowledged sixteen cases of the life-threatening virus at IAH.  

"Es un terror terrible lo que se vive aqui senor (What is happening here is a horrendous and terrifying situation)," Isidro says in his call. "Nosotros queremos que el publica sepa las condiciones que estamos y las situaciones que tenemos (We want the public to know what the situation is here and what the conditions are.)"