‘Like sardines in a can’: Complaint alleges medical neglect at Florida ICE detention center
In a scathing federal civil rights complaint filed Monday, 25 immigration detainees chronicled what they describe as rampant medical neglect, constitutional violations, deteriorating conditions and retaliation inside the Glades County Detention Center near Lake Okeechobee.
In the complaint — sent to the Office of the Inspector General and the Office for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security — immigrants behind bars call on federal officials to launch an investigation into “abuses” at Glades and request the assignment of an immediate oversight team to “prevent additional deaths and health consequences.”
Throughout the pandemic, Glades has ranked among the nation’s most COVID-riddled detention centers, with 187 documented infections and one death to date. As of Monday, ICE has reported 9,530 COVID-19 infections in its detention centers and 9 coronavirus deaths.
In a phone interview with the Miami Herald, Kevin Brown, a Jamaican national who is quoted in the federal complaint, said a jail sergeant beat him up, pepper sprayed him and then put him in confinement after “I said I would report their abuses to the Office of Civil Liberties.”
“The officer grabbed my hand and foot and took me out of the dorm,” Brown said. “The officer’s hand kept hitting my face on the ground and then they dragged me, picked me up and slammed me on the floor. My head kept hitting the floor. They then placed me in handcuffs and took me to confinement.”
ICE– which since 2006 has contracted with the Glades County Sheriff’s Office to house immigrants in its jail– told the Miami Herald in an email Monday that “ICE does not comment on pending litigation.” The Glades County Sheriff’s Office referred all questions to ICE.
The 31-page complaint was filed by Miami-based immigration advocates at Americans for Immigrant Justice and Immigrant Action Alliance, along with seven other immigrant rights organizations. Two dozen detainees said they have experienced inadequate medical care and neglect; lack of hygiene products, sanitation, and PPE; transfers between facilities without quarantine; failure to follow court orders to release individuals from Glades; retaliation for peaceful protest and public reporting; and use of toxic chemical spray in enclosed spaces.
The 25 ICE detainees — most of which took part in the complaint anonymously, fearing retaliation — are calling on ICE to release the 300 detainees currently housed at Glades, starting with those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19, and for the U.S. government to cut ties with the detention center.
“Sometimes there are no masks, not even the doctor is wearing one,” said one detainee, Steve Cooper, on Jan. 10, according to the complaint. “The doctor was not wearing a mask before. He just started wearing it after he caught the virus, not before.”
The Miami Herald inquired about the detention center’s doctor, Jean Max Saint Charles, testing positive for COVID-19, and the Sheriff’s office declined to comment.
“I will not be releasing any information publicly in reference to Dr. Saint Charles’ current or past medical issues or any conditions that he may or may not have had,” said Chad Schipansky, commander of the detention Division at the Glades County Sheriff’s Office.
Saint Charles did not respond to emails and phone calls from the Miami Herald.
“Temperature checks used to be conducted once or twice daily whereas now they are only checked sporadically, and many with serious medical issues who should be released are remaining detained,” one detainee said anonymously on Jan. 8, according to the complaint.
He continued: “There is no COVID-19 testing taking place at this time, despite many people being sick. I myself was tested in July 2020, but wasn’t provided my test results, and I have not been tested since. I think attention will only come once someone drops dead. There is no sanitation, social distancing. They have us in here like sardines in a can.”