ICE detainees end hunger strike in jail
Yuba County Jail command staff met with protestors
A hunger strike involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees at the Yuba County Jail ended on Friday, six days after it began, according to the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office.
The strike was started by 46 detainees on Sunday. By Wednesday the number of participants had dropped to 29 and by the time it ended, only 18 were still participating, said Leslie Carbah, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office.
As of Friday afternoon, those still participating in the strike had accepted meals.
Jail command staff reportedly met with the protestors to discuss their concerns. Carbah said the sheriff’s office committed to providing the participating detainees with a response to their list of concerns within the coming weeks.
The ICE detainees started the hunger strike over what they said were inhumane conditions at the jail, citing issues like lack of access to medical care, unsanitary conditions and 19-hour lockdowns. Sheriff Wendell Anderson and ICE officials have countered the claims, stating conditions and operations meet or exceed standards.
“The Yuba County Sheriff’s Department and jail staff remain committed to providing safe and healthy housing for those in our care,” Carbah said in a press release.
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