The organizations that comprise the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP)—The Legal Aid Society, The Bronx Defenders, and Brooklyn Defender Services—penned a joint op-ed appearing in today’s City Limits condemning the many documented failures of Immigration Customs & Enforcement (ICE) to protect its detainees from COVID-19.

The authors called for the remaining population of individuals in ICE detention to be released. ICE finally began releasing some immigrant detainees in April after mounting pressure from NYIFUP attorneys and partner advocate groups publicly exposed the inability of jail administrators to prevent the infection of detainees and staff alike.

“For the safety of us all, for the safety of all courtroom staff, immigration attorneys, and ICE’s own prosecutors, the solution is clear: free all people from ICE custody,” the op-ed states. “Ensure their safe release to their families, where they can continue with their immigration court cases while self-isolating in the safety of their own homes like the rest of us are doing right now.”

Read the full piece here.