Rep. Grijalva Raises Alarm on Deteriorating Conditions at Eloy Detention Center
Detainees have reported no access to drinking water, edible food, or AC
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Adelita S. Grijalva took to the House floor to sound the alarm about deteriorating conditions at the Eloy Detention Center in Arizona, following multiple reports her office has received from family members of detainees and their lawyers. They report detainees receiving only “ice chips” instead of proper drinking water, inedible food, and several housing units without air conditioning.
Rep. Grijalva has completed five oversight visits of immigration detention facilities since taking office, including her first oversight visit as a Congresswoman to the facility in Eloy, which ultimately led to the release of Julia “La abuela” Benitez, a 79 year-old Cuban asylum seeker with dementia who was held there for nine months. In July, 120 detainees signed a letter outlining human rights abuses by the guards at the Eloy facility, which is privately operated by Core Civic.
Watch the full speech here. A copy of her remarks are below:
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to sound the alarm about deteriorating conditions at the Eloy Detention Center.
My office has received multiple reports from the family members of people in detention and their lawyers that detainees are being denied access to proper drinking water. Instead, they are being given one cup of “ice chips” per day.
In fact, I just met with Sonya, the wife of Yari, who was diagnosed with leukemia and is currently being held at Eloy.
Her wife told her that detainees are only being given ice chips for water, which they have to wait until they melt.
Two housing blocks are also without air conditioning.
This is an outrage.
At least 57 people have already died in ICE custody this year – 4 of them in Arizona. This number is likely higher. How many more human beings need to die before we do something?
This is a moral failure. I’m calling on DHS to immediately address these conditions and ensure that all detainees have access to safe drinking water, edible food, and humane living conditions.”
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