People from all across Georgia and the southeast United States are demanding the release of Eduardo Samaniego, a young man incarcerated by Immigration, Customs and Enforcement. ICE unjustly claims that he does not have the legal right to be in the U.S. even though he has lived and worked here for a decade and has a well-known reputation as a community advocate and organizer.
Rather than protecting people in the U.S., as ICE boasts, the agency shows its despicable and racist character through its treatment of Latinos like Samaniego, who has been held for over 80 days in the Irwin County Detention Facility in Orcilla, Georgia. Ignoring plenty of clear evidence that Samaniego would participate in the court proceedings, they have labeled him a “flight risk,” denying him the ability to post bond.
Samaniego has medical needs following the injuries he suffered in a gas explosion accident at his apartment complex. He has been denied adequate medical care while incarcerated. He and his family have been denied visitation rights. For many days he has been unable to eat.
On Jan. 18, family, friends and supporters of Eduardo Samaniego gathered outside of the ICE building in Atlanta. His mother Maricela Samaniego spoke with Liberation:
“I give my thanks to all the people here today because without everyone here, my son and I would not matter. I have strength because the community has supported my son, and I appreciate all the messages of support I have received. I urge everyone to keep fight against the injustices that have been committed against my son and as my son has told me, not just for him but all the Latinos/Hispanics and all peoples who have had their rights violated.”
Maricela Samaniego explained how people can also continue support through prayer and donations, saying:
“An account has been opened where people can send $5, $10, because lawyers have told me if my son is released, his bail will be very high. The money raised will help with the legal and logistical costs of helping my son. The money also helps with my travel expenses since I came from Mexico without any money and helps me travel to wherever they send my son.”
She continued: “I feel such pain knowing my son is imprisoned. I cannot even go outside sometimes because I worry if my son is eating or sleeping or if he is warm. I feel guilty even eating because my son is not eating. And although my son is now grown, for a mother, a son is a son, and I love him all the same.”
There’s good reason people say “chinga la migra.” ICE and the U.S. government systematically violate human rights, specifically equal rights and representation before the law and the freedom of movement as laid out in Articles 2, 7 and 13, respectively, in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which the United States is a signatory country.
Eduardo was recently transferred to an incarceration facility in Columbia, South Carolina.
Sign the petition to Free Eduardo now!
To demand Eduardo’s immediate release:
Email Atlanta ICE Field Director, Sean Gallagher: [email protected]
OR Call (404) 893-1206
Call Atlanta Assistant Field Office Director, Kristin Sullivan: 404-893-1203
Email Irwin Detention Center Supervisor, Alicia Ferra: [email protected]
