Suicide is problematic in numerous immigration detention centers

If a Louisiana family has a loved one who is currently detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, it is only natural that family members may worry about their loved one’s safety and well-being. After all, some situations result in family members never seeing a loved one again. It is understandable that such situations cause families (even those whose paperwork is in good standing) a lot of stress. A problem that remains ongoing at numerous immigration detention centers is suicide.

A man who used to be in detention recently told of a day when he returned to his cell only to find one of his four other cellmates hanging from a pile of twisted bed sheets. The man’s life was saved when detention guards cut the sheets loose before it was too late. This man’s suicide attempt is reportedly not an isolated event.

In fact, at that same facility, there was a suicide in 2017 and at least three other attempts since then. Immigrant advocates who are calling on government officials to do something about the problem say that many detention officials are fully aware of the braided bed sheets that hang from ventilation systems inside inmates’ cells. Those officials should also be aware that this constitutes a federal safety violation.

Stories have been told of guards laughing about the dangling bed sheets rather than taking any official action to report the problem or to improve inmates’ safety. Some say failure to provide needed medical care and other issues regarding abuse and neglect are pushing inmates toward despair, leaving them prone toward suicide. A Louisiana immigration law attorney would be a good source of support for any person facing an immigration detention problem.