July 29, 2018

A hunger strike begun on July 17 by 60 ICE detainees at Bristol County Detention Facility in North Dartmouth, Mass., has been joined by approximately 250 more prisoners this week.

Families for Freedom, contacted by the prisoners, stated that the strike was “sparked by a continued lack of medical attention and health complications arising from horrible food and filthy living conditions. One person told them: “Guys are getting sick because the shower has mold and the food is 3-4 days old and yellow, like yellow mashed potatoes. If you are sick, you have to wait 1-2 weeks before you get attention. There’s a guy in here who has gone three weeks with a broken hand and no medical care. People are getting seizures and no medical care, people are denied medicine for their conditions. People get food poisoning from the food and are told to just drink water.” Another said, “I’m in a wheelchair with a spinal injury and extremely high blood pressure. I can’t even walk and I’m denied all medical care.”

Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson supports chain gangs and proposed using prison labor to build Trump’s border wall.

FIRE (Fighting for Im/migrants and Refugees Everywhere) says: Show solidarity with these striking prisoners in Bristol County! (ourfire.net)

On Tuesday, July 31, and Wednesday, Aug. 1, call and demand adequate medical care, nutritious food, lower commissary and phone rates, and an end to abuse by guards.

CALL: Bristol County Detention Facility 508-995-6400

ICE Field Office Directors Thomas Brophy and James Rutherford 781-359-7500

LET OTHERS KNOW: By sharing with twitter.com/Boston4Migrants and facebook.com/Boston4Migrants/.