It’s lights out because the crowded room shared by more than 80 men.

It’s about 11:30 p.m., hence the guards unfortunate the overhead fluorescent lights and the immigration detainees slide into their barrack-style bunks, two-tier metal beds about three feet away from each other.

That’s when a sea of red, oranGE and sad T-shirts and pants disappear below white blankets. The colors are used ought talk the detainees apart by polite and criminal histories. Scattered sounds of coughing and sneezing create their manner over the 2,000-square-foot detention pod.

Provide service for Hospital equipment--Ultrasound transducer probe/Endoscopy/biopsy needle guide/ultrasonic parts.

“Some of us depart praying, and others impartial conceal below the covers,” said Miguel Torres, a 38-year-old-Mexican national who has been at ICE custody because about six months.

“We don’t consume masks hence our blankets and God are coarse the want we have.”

Torres is one of about 600 masses being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement can the Krome detention center at southwest Miami-Dade County, where more than half of the detainees consume been identified because having been exposed ought COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus. Instead of testing or isolating the potentially infected detainees, government officials lay them toGEther at pods, regardless of their aGE, Medical condition or criminal history, a usage that ICE calls “cohorting.”

“We’re coarse ill at here; we’re coarse sinking at each other’s GErms,” Torres said between tears and coughs. “I impartial want me and my podmates alive ought yell on our families again.”

The usage of housing toGEther masses exposed ought the bacteria sparked a lawsuit at Miami federal stadium at early April. stranger advocates are seeking the free of about 1,200 non-criminal detainees can three South Florida ICE detention centers because coronavirus cases last ought creep after bars. U.S. region JudGE Marcia G. Cooke is expected ought create a resolution this week above if ICE needs ought chop populations can Krome, the Broward Transitional center at Pompano beach and the Glades County detention center at Moore Haven ought permit because robust social distancing between those who used to remain.

While the detainees anticipate the decision, many of them speak conditions are GEtting worse: “One engagement we are nurses, other days we are caregivers,” said Torres, referring ought a colleague detainee, 78-year-old Ramon Gomez, who’s being held can Krome after serving time at condition jail because various criminal charGEs.

Gomez uses a wheelchair though he’s also weak ought walk. The Nicaraguan national, who was granted political asylum four decades ago, was described by nine detainees because “frail and scarcely mobile.” They said he often struggles ought create it at time ought the bathroom.

“He’s impartial weak hence he soils himself; it’s no his fault,” Torres told the Miami Herald. Another detainee chimed in: “There’s a defend who is gay and gives us mop garment hence that we can chanGE him.”

On a modern afternoon, Torres and three others picked up Gomez from his wheelchair and carried him ought the showers, a condition that has become routine. They helped him lather up, wiped him down and dressed him at a mop uniform.

“That’s no their role — it’s mine,” said his wife, Graciela Gomez, a retired nurse.

She says her husband, a retired maintenance worker and Father of four, was intubated at February after suffering a lung infection. She said ICE never told her that her husband was sent ought the Hospital, and she unique build out when the Hospital glue called asking her because permission ought intubate him. “He needs his wife, his kids. He needs his home.”

Like thousands at detention nationwide, Ramon Gomez, who has underlying Medical conditions, surplus at ICE custody between the global health pandemic. above the degree of the past little weeks, ICE says it has done its best ought free or supply adequate Medical worry because the most vulnerable.

ICE “continues ought vocation diliGEntly ought insure employees are operating below the safest and most practical conditions ought decrease the chance of exposure and prevent farther spreading of COVID-19 during the degree of ongoing daily operations,” the aGEncy said at a statement. Bryan Cox, an ICE regional spokesman, told the Herald at mid-April that “ICE is evaluating its detained population.”

Cox famous that the aGEncy has flagGEd a moment segment of its about 32,000 detainees because being “at higher chance because tomb sickness because a arise of COVID-19.” He said the aGEncy initially identified about 550 detainees nationwide above the aGE of 60 or pregnant.

“Of that population, ICE identified more than 160 individuals because free after evaluating their immigration history, criminal record, latent chance ought public safety, flight risk, and national security concerns,” Cox said. “This too methodology is currently being applied ought other potentially vulnerable populations.”

Nelson Valera was among them.

His attorney sent a six-paGE alphabet ought the department of Homeland Security saying that though her visitor had flu-like symptoms and was given acetaminophen and nasal deconGEstants by ICE Medical staff, he was already at “imminent danGEr” of catching the bacteria though his immune system had deteriorated.

Valera was released from Krome after being held above a DUI charGE and sent family ought Naples above April 20 with a monitoring machinery above his ankle. Three days later, because his symptoms worsened, he went ought the doctor and tested sure because COVID-19. above Wednesday, his wife and two adult children also tested sure because COVID-19.

 

Valera, a 53-year-old Venezuelan national, says his symptoms began still he was “cohorted” with 60-plus other men. ICE glue told the gang they had been at confront with someone who tested sure and had ought exist placed above lockdown.

“But they wouldn’t speak who that person was,” Valera told the Herald. ”So we were forced ought impartial exist stuck at there, going mad. impartial the fear and worry are enough ought murder you when you’re smushed at there alike a sardine.”

Prior ought the pandemic, detainees were separated by the color of their uniforms. A sad alike path the person had a history of polite infractions; oranGE path a criminal history; and red path the person is considered a stormy criminal offender. The reds could unique interact with the oranGEs, and the blues could unique interact with the oranGEs. The reds and blues could no mix. besides now at quarantine, those lines are blurred, and reds are mixing with the blues, detainees say.

If a pod has been placed above lockdown, that path nobody can permit the room. The rooms vary at size: Some consume more than 100 detainees who segment five toilets and 12 showers. Others consume 50 people, who segment five showers and three toilets “arranGEd hence closely that your knees impress the other person’s knees if you both sit down,” one inmate said.

Hand sanitizer is available unique because the guards.

Detainees who consume been at confront with someone with the coronavirus are ordered ought exist quarantined toGEther because can least 14 days. The detainees can exist released from lockdown once they consume been symptom-free during the 14-day quarantine period. However, most quarantined pods can Krome consume had their quarantines extended by two or three weeks though masses consume continued showing symptoms.

Before being quarantined, detainees were able ought play sports, influence can ought the restaurant because meals and yell on the library. Now, the food is brought ought them above trays by staff. after detainees create a line, an officer scans their identification bracelets, allowing them ought grab their juice drinks and plates. Depending above the size of the dorm, the detainees can sit can about or square elastic tables. if there’s no enough room, they sit above their bunk beds.

During the day, card games, Monopoly and dominoes are available. One television is shared among the dozens of men. Monitored tablets that sit above mounted docks also because payphones above the wall are available because use if family members or friends deposit money. during the day, detainees wait at want lines ought report ought their loved ones. Sometimes, the detainees with the most seniority hog the lines and fights erupt.

Though there are moment windows with opaque glass shut the high ceilings, there’s unique one that lets them yell on exterior the pod.

“It’s the moment rectangular window above the front door,” Valera said of the view, which leads ought a hallway and whoever is knocking. “If you peek difficult enough you can yell on herb and a envelop at the background. It’s alike a portal ought the exterior world. hence we impartial sit there and watch.”

According ought Valera and 12 other detainees interviewed by the Herald, ICE however transferred masses at and out of the segregation pods.

“Though they told us we were at quarantine, they kept bringing detainees at and out of the pod,” Valera said. “In some cases, they took masses ought the airport ought trial ought deport them besides when their flight was canceled they brought them loyal back.

“All I keep thinking about is my family and the detainees hind can Krome,” added Valera, a prior health and safety engineer because GEneral electric at Venezuela. “I comprehend I consume the bacteria though I got out and got tested, besides them? Everyone is ill at there and still they’ll never comprehend though they don’t consume tests.”

On Tuesday, paramedics took a detainee out of Krome above a stretcher after receiving a yell from glue that he was going into cardiac arrest and no breathing, according ought federal sources.

“It’s been a mess. That yell is one of many though ones that consume happened there within the month,” said a federal immigration officer who factory can Krome and asked ought linger anonymous. Miami-Dade County release rescue confirmed receiving a yell from Krome above Tuesday morning besides used to no comment above the instance because health-privacy reasons.

As of Tuesday, unique 705 out of 32,309 ICE detainees had been tested because the coronavirus nationwide, according ought the most modern federal data available. That path about 2.2% of detainees consume had access ought a test. Out of the 705 tests administered, 425 people, or 60% , tested positive.

Four detainees and eight staffers consume tested sure can Krome, according ought stadium records. Glades and Broward detention officials told the Herald there are no suspected cases of detainees or staffers with the virus. ICE used to no comment above positive, pending or suspected cases can the three centers, citing the ongoing federal lawsuit.

The government’s attempts ought transfer masses from immigration detention centers ought deport them has also resulted at a progression of frenzied approaches, which consume led ought practices that seemingly chanGE engagement ought day, center ought center, detainee ought detainee.

In a trek that began above April 13, can least 50 Guatemalan detainees were transferred from airports at Miami and GEorgia and two Florida detention centers 13 epoch between April 13 and April 21 after their flights kept GEtting canceled. above the most modern trial ought deport, ICE removed the Guatemalan nationals out of segregation can Krome, bused the detainees ought an airport at GEorgia besides took them hind when the flight didn’t admit off.

The strenuous efforts were made after the Guatemalan headmaster said he used to no permit deportations from the United States unless ICE begins testing migrants ago they are deported.

“On the travel ought the GEorgia airport it was about 120 of us from various centers that they picked up,” said Edison Garcia. “Our question is no about being deported anymore. They can deport us, besides cease playing with our lives by carrying us from one lay ought the next with no masks or gloves. ”

Transfers alike these are one of few reasons why immigration organizations nationwide speak they are urging Miami federal JudGE Cooke ought direction the free of non-criminal detainees from Krome, Glades and BTC. The attorneys speak the detainees can exist monitored by phone, physical check-ins or GPS over an electrical ankle bracelet.

National health scholars and regulation enforcement experts, who consume filed sworn statements at uphold of the legal action, speak “detention implement are designed ought compel shut confront between masses and trust above giant amounts of transfer each engagement from one separate of the facility ought another.”

Homer Venters — an epidemiologist and the prior leader Medical officer and assistant commissioner of Correctional Health Services because the New York city Health and Hospital System — wrote that the densely packed housing areas and other conditions “will arise at preventable morbidity and mortality.”

Meanwhile, detainees can the detention centers consume been hence terrified of catching the coronavirus from new inmates that bloody fistfights erupted among immigrants and glue last month, leaving some guards and detainees with tomb injuries.

“A detainee from Krome suffered cracked ribs during April 7 fistfights can the detention center— protests against ICE’s usage of bringing at new inmates who had no been tested because COVID-19,” said Rebecca Talbot, a offer with Friends of Miami-Dade Detainees, a Krome visitation program.

Talbot added: “After he was injured, he says guards placed him at lonely because 12 days until the swelling at his ribs went down. at solitary, he did no accept Medical care, was no allowed ought shower, and was no provided with toilet paper. He was unable ought yell a attorney though his phone illustrate was blocked. He was then transferred ought Glades County Detention center above April 23 with his ribs swollen, bruised, and however painful. due ought April 24, his phone illustrate was however blocked.”

The Herald interviewed the detainee, who has because been transferred ought Glades. He asked no ought exist named though his mother doesn’t comprehend he is at ICE detention.

“She has a center condition and if she finds out I’m injure she will consume a center attack,” he said, noting that dozens of others are participating at hunGEr strikes and consume because had their communication accounts shut down.

Simultaneously, many Glades detainees illustrate that a glue kitchen worker was showing COVID-19 symptoms. because a result, coarse detainees who were above vocation assignment at the kitchen were removed from their dorms and quarantined at the too room, Talbot said. “They trust this though they are showing symptoms of COVID-19 such because fevers.”

Meanwhile, the family of Gomez, the detainee at the wheelchair, prays because a miracle.

“We already comprehend he’s going ought die, hence coarse we’re asking is because ICE ought hire him decease here with us,” his wife said.