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Lawsuit Says At-Risk Detainees Aren’t Released Despite Overcrowding

Bergen County Jail is about 50 percent over capacity, and many of those jailed are at high risk of contracting COVID-19.

Deanna Garcia

Feb 01, 2021

Bergen County Jail

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement revealed in a report that its detention center at Bergen County Jail is about 50 percent over capacity, despite denials from the jail. About 35 percent of those jailed at Bergen are medically compromised and at high risk of contracting COVID-19. After a 2019 lawsuit asked for the release of detainees, a federal judge ordered ICE last year to review detainees’ medical history and evaluate if they should be released to avoid catching COVID-19. Yet lawyers said ICE has not followed the court’s orders, leading some detainees to go on hunger strikes to demand their release. An ICE spokesperson said the data was inaccurate and the jail is actually under capacity, but a further explanation of the discrepancy was unavailable. Gothamist 

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This article, including the headline, was changed to add more information from ICE.

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