The following release was sent to Latino Rebels this afternoon from the offices of Amoachi & Johnson, Attorneys at Law, PLLC:
STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY BRYAN JOHNSON REGARDING THE SEXUAL ABUSE AND RAPE OF A YOUNG CHILD IN THE ARTESIA DETENTION FACILITY
My client was sexually abused and raped in the Artesia Detention Facility. He is a young child. Although the child told ICE about the abuse, ICE failed to report the first incident of sexual abuse to the police.
When the child told ICE about the second time he was abused, there was a witness to the abuse. ICE called the local police, who never interviewed my client or his mother.
Although my client was sexually abused and raped while he was in the Artesia Detention Facility during July and August of this year and ICE knew that he had been sexually abused in the Detention Facility, ICE refused to release my client and his mother from that Detention Facility.
Even when a request for humanitarian parole was made, ICE denied the request and instead demanded that the immigration judge refuse to release our clients at any bond amount.
ICE tried to deport a child victim of a rape – a rape that happened while he was in ICE custody.
ICE knew that the abuser harmed our client and had reason to know that the abuser also harmed other children. Inexplicably, ICE continued to allow the abuser to interact with children.
The Obama administration must immediately stop their detention of children in unsafe and inhumane conditions. Law enforcement must fully investigate reported abuses from the Artesia Detention Center. The Obama administration must suspend all deportations of potential child victims or potential witnesses from the Artesia Detention Center.
