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ICE Detainee Tests Positive for Coronavirus for First Time

The detainee was reportedly held at Bergen County Jail, where a correctional officer also tested positive for COVID-19.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainee held in a New Jersey facility has tested positive for the coronavirus, BuzzFeed News reported. The immigrant, the first detainee to test positive for the virus, has reportedly been held at the Bergen County Jail—where a correctional officer also tested positive for coronavirus. ICE officials say they are checking in on detainees and are in contact with medical professionals about the potential spread of the virus in facilities. According to Heidi Altman, litigation director for the National Immigrant Justice Center, immigrants in custody have only found out about the pandemic through reporters and family members. Detainees have also claimed they don’t have easy access to soap or hand sanitizer, and they have seen individuals with flu-like symptoms enter facilities. Over 37,000 ICE detainees are being housed in jails nationwide.