My Day at the Detention Center

I have the privilege of volunteering at the ICE detention center once a month. I am part of a group that helps people get home after they are released from detention.

Inside the detention center there is a court. When immigrants are released (either because they have won their case, should not have been picked up in the first place or because they are allowed to wait for their next court date at home) they are brought to the gate of the detention center with their belongings in a plastic trash bag. They are usually wearing gray prison sweats. Occasionally they are local but many times they have been moved from one detention center to another and are now far from home. Our team is there to facilitate getting them home. Most detention centers do not have anyone that helps when they get released. I’m so glad that we are allowed to be there to help.

When I first get there, after opening up our RV and tents where we are prepared to welcome our guests, I take a walk to see who is there and introduce myself. I frequently meet family members who believe their loved one will be released that day. I explain what we do and how we might be able to help, offer them a beverage and the chance to use our porta potty. Sometimes they need a list of immigration attorneys.

On a recent day, I met a young woman with a little baby (I’m guessing about 5 months old). She has been unable to get information and hoped to visit her husband. He was picked up by ICE and had been in detention for about 3 months- probably most of the baby’s life. My heart was broken for her, the baby and her husband. She was missing her partner (and probably his paycheck) and he was missing those precious months in his baby’s life. We asked if we could pray with her and she was very appreciative.

Outside the center was a memorial that was put up to honor two detainees that had died in the detention center. We found two people that were redoing the memorial that had gotten a bit shabby. This couple worked all day and it looked beautiful. They wanted to be sure we remembered the two gentlemen. The new memorial is still there and people always stop and read.

That day we had three guests released. It’s always a wonderful celebration! We welcomed them with homemade cookies and the promise of helping them get home. One gentleman was local and he called his daughter to pick him up. One service we can offer to charge cell phones so they can call home. We trade their garbage bags for nice backpacks and offer them snacks and beverages while they wait. It was a beautiful thing to see him holding his beautiful granddaughter before he left with his daughter.

The next guest had a plane ticket to get home. We offered him a change of clothes and a backpack for his things. We have donated clothing and a volunteer that keeps it all organized. What a difference that made. He came out looking so handsome and ready to go home. You could see that he had his identity back. I can’t imagine being is a setting with 1,400 people, all dressed in gray sweats.

Our last guest that day was a woman. I don’t think her family knew yet that she was out! After charging her phone we arranged a flight and she was able to contact a family member to pay for the flight. She was so happy and looked so great after changing out of her prison clothes and getting a new backpack for the trip. We transported her to the airport and walked her through TSA security, safely to her gate (at times our guests have trouble getting through TSA so we make sure they get to the gate).

All of our guest are so grateful for our help. It is always a pleasure to help them get home. I remain grateful that we are allowed to be there and to have this opportunity to love our neighbors. I have met a lot of immigrants over the last few months and I have to say, any of them can live next door to me!

Along the way I have met so many people that are helping our immigrants: people that donate clothes, backpacks or money, volunteers that sort clothes, put together snack bags for the plane, donate puzzles and books to give the immigrants something to do, even put together custom deportation bags for people that are deported. In this current world that seems so inhospitable to so many, what can you do to love our neighbors? I invite your comments and suggestions.