52 Indian asylum seekers in prison under Trump's zero-tolerance policy
Under Trump's 'zero-tolerance' policy against illegal immigration, more than 50 people from India separated from their kids are behind bars at Oregon jail, shared an Asia Pacific human rights organisation.
Nearly 123 asylum seekers have been detained at Oregon’s Sheridan federal prison in Yamhill County. According to the Asia-Pacific American Network of Human rights said, "The majority of people in prison are South Asian, speaking Hindi and Punjabi and a few are Chinese,"
#Juneteenth marks the end of the darkest time in our history. Today, 153 years later, I fear we are facing a different shameful chapter as families are torn apart against their will. We must learn from the sins of our past & commit to a more just future. #FamiliesBelongTogether
— Earl Blumenauer (@repblumenauer) June 19, 2018
The organisation also shared that the prisoners have no access to translators which might put them at a risk of abuse.
One of the local newspaper named the Oregonian the migrants shared that they are locked up 22 to 23 hours a day, three to a cell, making it difficult to talk to a lawyer. The newspaper even wrote that they have no idea where their wives or children are, and they fear they'll be deported and separated from them forever.
The US Representative for Oregon Earl Blumenauer took to Twitter, "This is a shameful hour in the US. history. I don't care what your stance on immigration is, no one should favour ripping children out of their parents' arms "
He even tweeted, "They can lie all they want, but it doesn't change the fact that this administration is choosing to criminalize those fleeing violence. And enforcing it by yanking children from their parents. Sickening."
Also Read:US withdraws from UN human rights council, calling it bias against Israel
First published: 20 June 2018, 11:33 IST