Hunger Strike: Federal Judge OKs force feeding Etowah County immigration detainee

By William Thornton | wthornton@al.com

Gadsden, AL

Chief U.S. District Judge Karon Bowdre has ordered the forced feeding of an immigration detainee at the Etowah County Detention Center and continued medical monitoring of 46 detainees there currently on a hunger strike.

Activists march for immigration detaineesActivists representing several groups staged a protest Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 in solidarity with detainees inside the Etowah County Jail who they say are on a hunger strike. (William Thornton / wthornton@al.com)

In two motions filed last week, Bowdre directed "necessary and reasonable steps" should be taken to preserve the health of a detainee who has been on a hunger strike since Nov. 26. The order allows feeding, hydration, medical treatment and medical tests, according to court documents.

The hunger strikes are part of a nationwide campaign calling for an end to indefinite immigration detentions, improved conditions, and an end to U.S. Immigration and Customs bed quotas, which advocates say mandate a certain number of detainees be held.

The New York-based Desis Rising Up and Moving organization said all of the strikers are people who came to the United States seeking asylum but have been held in detention for up to 23 months.

Last week, a group of protesters outside the facility staged a demonstration in support of their hunger strike.

Federal authorities argued in two motions before Bowdre that morale would deteriorate within the center if a detainee were allowed to die during the protest.

The force feeding is allowed for seven days under the court order, while the medical monitoring of the other detainees is allowed for two weeks.

http://www.al.com/news/anniston-gadsden/index.ssf/2015/12/federal_judge_oks_force_feedin.html#incart_river_home