Last weekend, while one group unsafely protested our state’s stay-at-home order, another group was also unsafe, but by no choice of their own. I joined a protest to support the latter group.
Two weeks in a row I have left the refuge of my home and driven an hour to be part of a “car rally” outside the Strafford County jail in Dover. On both occasions, long lines of cars slowly and silently circled the jail. Signs on the cars asked that immigrants detained at the jail be released during this dangerous time. Many signs requested that not just immigrant detainees but all those incarcerated who posed no threat to the community be released.
Frequently the phrase “Safety for all” appeared. Both rallies were organized by N.H. Never Again Action. A third rally will be held on Sunday.
Some of these detainees are asylum seekers; others are undocumented people who have been living in this country and are on track to be deported. They might be people who’ve lived beside us as neighbors for years and have American citizen children from whom they’ve been torn.
Overwhelmingly, they are not detained for being violent. Detainees are unable to follow social-distancing standards while those who work in jails return to their community each day and possibly become exposed to the virus. Returning to work, it would be easy to spread it.
I have heard the situation referred to as a tinderbox; once the virus is brought to a jail, cases will quickly multiply.
In leaving home to travel for a car rally, did I violate our state’s stay-at-home order? I thought about this carefully.
When establishing the order, Gov. Sununu stated that “residents should stay at home, unless absolutely necessary.” I am glad that the governor signed the executive order and see its importance for containing the coronavirus, but I honestly need to say that, for me, it was necessary to do my best to help people trapped in a potentially deadly situation.
During the rallies, all participants observed social distancing, spending most of the time in their cars.
The two car rallies were carefully and thoughtfully planned. Both David Dubois, the Strafford County sheriff, and Chris Brackett, the superintendent of the Strafford County Department of Corrections, were informed in advance. In fact they, along with other jail personnel, helped plan the route and guide the cars.
I spoke to both men prior to the first car rally, which took place on April 11. I told them that the Strafford County jail has an excellent reputation for showing care and respect for inmates. They told me about procedures put in place for keeping the community free from disease, however, both also expressed support for each citizen’s right to protest.
I stressed in these discussions that event planners were concerned with not only inmates, but jail personnel and the local community.
Will the car rallies make a difference? We have generated publicity as have similar demonstrations across the country. There are articles in national newspapers questioning the wisdom and humanity of keeping people incarcerated in dangerous conditions. There are also lawsuits.
In Massachusetts, a lawsuit on behalf of two inmates at the Bristol County House of Corrections resulted in Judge William Young asking for an additional list of immigrant inmates and agreeing to hear up to 10 cases a day.
In New Hampshire, a class-action case has just been filed by the ACLU New Hampshire and five law firms.
A third approach taken by immigrant rights groups has been to encourage citizens to communicate with our members of Congress, governor and public health officials to ask these leaders to contact the acting director of the Boston field office of ICE.
Local ICE directors are allowed to operate quite independently and afforded a great deal of latitude in making decisions about detainees – in this case a life-or-death decision.
Though people clearly differ on how our immigration system should operate and what reform is needed, it is hard to imagine anyone wanting those incarcerated for seeking asylum or simply trying to find a better life to die in a jail that’s become a disease “hot spot.” These people should be released for the safety of themselves, those who work in Strafford County jail and the neighboring community at large, and returned only when it is safe.
If you would like to learn more about upcoming car rallies and other actions, go to the Never Again Action NH Facebook page.
To learn more about the class action lawsuit, go to aclu-nh.org.
(Glen Ring taught Social Studies for 26 years in the Concord School District. She now teaches ESL for adults and tutors New American students.)