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Severely ill ICE detainees face imminent deportation to unknown African states, advocates say

World news | The Guardian·Richard Luscombe in Miami·8 days ago
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Relatives of gravely ill detainees at two Florida immigration jails say authorities are about to deport their loved ones to unknown countries in Africa despite worsening medical conditions.

Flights are scheduled as early as Wednesday, according to the families and the immigration advocacy group the Workers Circle, which has been monitoring conditions and speaking with detainees inside two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities in south Florida.

The group said multiple sick detainees with varying conditions had been targeted for imminent deportation, and learned about the operation only in the last few days.

“I received a call from several detainees letting me know that men were being pulled in to interviews with deportation agents, where they were being informed that because of their medical conditions, Mexico would not be accepting their entry, and they will be sent to Africa ,” Arianne Betancourt, the group’s immigrant rights organizer, said at a Tuesday night press conference.

“We know…

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