Advocates, lawyers and people detained inside a Bakersfield ICE Detention Center have been pushing for the release of detainees who are considered at risk of contracting the coronavirus. On Wednesday, a judge made a ruling in favor of those efforts.
The judge's ruling will allow people detained in Mesa Verde and Yuba County Jail to apply for release based on the threat of contracting COVID-19. Attorney Jordan Wells said the judge's decision to put all detainees in a class is a step in the right direction.
“A class means that it's not just a case on behalf of individuals but on behalf of the group of individuals that are all before the court at the same time,” Wells said.
Wells is part of an ongoingACLU lawsuitto release detainees. He said the ruling means every person in Mesa Verde and every immigration detainee at Yuba county Jail is now being represented in that lawsuit.
The judge also indicated he would review every release application to decrease the population at both facilities. As many as 350 people could be released, according to Wells.
The second part of the ruling orders Immigration and Customs Enforcement to provide enough information to the court so each person’s case can be properly assessed for their risk of contracting COVID-19, Wells said. The information provided by ICE should also include where the people detained will be released.
Wells and other lawyers met with the judge on Thursday to discuss the timeline of the releases.
