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"We vigorously negotiated every provision in this agreement, and retired Judge Jacqueline Hogan Scola spent many hours going back and forth between the parties. We believe the resulting agreement is an excellent outcome for our clients because it commits ICE to protecting them from COVID-19 and it ensures that the Court has continuing oversight the conditions at these three facilities," Edson continued.
The deal continues limitations on detainee transfers set forth in U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke's preliminary injunction last summer. It also stipulates that ICE will work to facilitate social distancing, another troublespot in the complaint.
The agreement would also maintain all three facilities at 75% of their housing capacity to facilitate social distancing, in keeping with current CDC guidelines and ICE's current Pandemic Response Requirements document.
The deal comes as ICE's detention numbers have spiked in recent months, reaching 26,789 at the end of June after hitting a two-year low of 13,258 in February according to data from ICE and Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, with new outbreaks emerging.
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