A lower Hudson Valley congressman is calling on the U.S. Department of Homeland Secretary to return Westchester County immigrants detained at an Alabama facility to New York.
Democratic Congressman Eliot Engel has penned a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen calling for the Department to relocate 25 Westchester residents who were detained at the Etowah County Detention Center in Alabama because of their immigration status. Engel says his request follows allegations of inhumane treatment at the Alabama facility, including underfeeding, failure to provide adequate medical care and lack of access to legal materials, counsel and mail. He says detainees have better access to counsel in New York, which may prevent wrongful deportation. Engel also urges DHS to investigate possible misuse of federal funds by the former Etowah County sheriff.
