An illegal detention center in Otay Mesa, California’s border town, is turning into a death camp, and the administration is trying to absolve itself of responsibility by blackmailing inmates.
U.S. detainees are blackmailed by the coronavirus.
This was told by the detained woman in the comment to the journalists of “Associated Press” agency.
Last week the number of people infected with the coronavirus infection COVID-19 at the Otai-Mesa detention center increased to twelve. The prisoners had to tear their T-shirts to cover their faces with improvised masks as the administration does not provide them with personal protective equipment.
Moreover, according to the journalist interviewed, the guards issued an ultimatum to the detainees: they will not receive the masks until they sign a waiver of their claims against the prison manager in case of infection. According to the AP, two other inmates at the Center confirmed the information.
The same situation is observed in other detention facilities for illegal immigrants. Both detainees and lawyers claim that such facilities save on personal protective equipment and cleaning products, which, in the absence of social distance, leads to mass infections.
Despite the allegations, a private prison company, CoreCivic, which runs the Otai-Mes Center, denies the fact of blackmail.
According to media reports, 33.8 thousand migrants are currently detained in the U.S.. Most of them were detained long before the pandemic began.