An immigrant rights group has alleged that a woman was held in solitary confinement in an attempt to pressure her into withdrawing a complaint that she was sexually assaulted by a detention centre guard.
About 50 people protested this week outside the Hutto detention center in Texas, in support of the woman, Laura Monterrosa, said Bethany Carson of Grassroots Leadership.
The group alleges that staff at the privately-run facility acted out of retribution towards Monterrosa, whose allegations of harassment and sexual assault are now the subject of an FBI investigation.
According to Grassroots Leadership, Monterrosa, who has health problems including stomach pain, was kept away from other detainees for about 60 hours last weekend.
“They were pressuring her to write a letter to them recanting her testimony but she has not done that. She is remaining strong and we’re out here showing her that we support her and we’re not going to stand for a victim of sexual abuse being intimidated in this way,” Carson said.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) issued a statement denying the allegation: “On 9 February, Ice received information that Laura Monterrosa-Flores was taken to the Ice T Don Hutto residential center medical unit for evaluation after staff became aware of a self-reported medical situation. Monterrosa-Flores was kept in medical for close observation.
“On Monday she was returned to the general population. During the time she was in medical observation, Monterrosa-Flores was in communication with her attorney. In addition, Ice offered to transfer Monterrosa-Flores to another facility but she declined the offer.”
Monterrosa said that she fled El Salvador for her safety after suffering sexual and physical abuse at the hands of relatives. She has been in detention for more than eight months and is appealing the denial of her asylum claim.
She reportedly tried to kill herself in January.
“I feel very desperate because I tried to report the abuse from Ice and facility officials, but they continue to psychologically abuse me through intimidation. I do not feel safe or secure. I am not receiving the medical treatment or help I need,” she said in a statement several days later.
Ice says it is committed to providing safe environments for detainees, but immigrant advocates contend that sexual abuse in detention centres is common but rarely investigated thoroughly.
After Monterrosa’s claim, two other women at the centre said they had been sexually harassed by a guard. Hutto has about 500 beds and houses only women.
According to statistics from a federal civil rights complaint filed last year by Civic, a watchdog group, the Department of Homeland Security’s office of the inspector general (OIG) received at least 1,016 reports of sexual abuse filed by detainees between May 2014 and July 2016, of which 2.4% were investigated by the OIG.
