The Alaska House Judiciary Committee is set to hold a hearing on June 20 concerning the housing and supervision of federal detainees by the Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This comes in light of reports indicating that DOC has been detaining individuals arrested by ICE from out of state, specifically at the Anchorage Correctional Complex, amidst a nationwide crackdown on immigration.
As of Friday, DOC officials confirmed that 39 ICE detainees were being housed in their facilities.
Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage, who chairs the judiciary committee, stated that the hearing aims to gather precise information about the conditions under which the detainees are held.
He remarked, “It’s really more a fact-finding hearing just to make sure that we understand exactly what’s happening in a situation that, to my knowledge, hasn’t happened before.”
Gray expressed concerns regarding the detainees’ access to communication with family members, legal representation, and medical care.
“Those sorts of things are things that we want to make sure that they have,” he added.
The hearing is scheduled for June 20 at 1 p.m. at the Anchorage Legislative Information Office and will be streamed live on the Legislature’s website and Gavel Alaska.
The committee has invited representatives from the DOC, the Department of Law, the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska, and attorneys for some of the detainees to participate in the hearing.
Gray characterized immigration status as a civil legal issue rather than a criminal one.
He conveyed his limited understanding of the current situation within DOC, suggesting that detainees may not be granted the rights and freedoms typically associated with ICE detention facilities.
As of now, ICE has not provided any comments regarding the legal status of the detainees, including whether there are any criminal or civil charges pending against them.
Among the detainees is Albert Khamitov, who was previously granted asylum by an immigration judge due to “clear evidence of state-sponsored persecution” of LGBTQ+ individuals in Russia.
However, as the U.S. government has appealed that decision, Khamitov remains in detention while his case is pending.
Gray mentioned discussions with several attorneys representing other detainees who highlighted potential inadequacies in translation services provided to the inmates while in Alaska custody.
He noted that DOC staff are reportedly using Google Translate to communicate, a method he criticized as insufficient.
“I want to hear from DOC; I want them to talk about how they’re handling this issue. But the fear is that folks have been removed to Alaska, cannot communicate with the people who are, you know, managing them, and have no way of contacting their friends and family from where they came,” Gray expressed.
The representative conveyed his hope that his concerns about the situation are unfounded.
DOC spokesperson Betsy Holley responded to inquiries about language services, asserting that the department utilizes professional translation services from various providers like Language Link and others, alongside the presence of bilingual staff members.
Holley indicated that the services used would depend on availability at the time a need arises.
However, the DOC did not address specific concerns raised about the detention conditions or detainees’ access to communication and medical care by Friday afternoon.
Gray also expressed apprehensions regarding the potential legal implications for the state if the conditions of detention are found to be inadequate.
“Our facilities were not designed for this. Our personnel were not trained for this,” Gray cautioned, voicing fears that well-founded litigation may arise from these concerns, which could pose a financial burden on Alaska.
Questions persist regarding the rationale behind transferring detainees to Alaska from the Tacoma ICE Detention Facility, particularly when it was noted that two men were returned to Washington state within just one day.
“There are rights that are guaranteed to people in the United States, regardless of their immigration status. A person cannot be incarcerated without knowing what the charges are against them, without the right to legal representation, without the right to defend themselves,” Gray emphasized, revealing his worries that the detainees may not be receiving proper legal rights.
He concluded by stating, “I have fears that these folks aren’t being awarded these rights as they should be, but I will reserve judgment.”
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