Hanif’s Testimony
[On August 11th, Hanif testified at a Farmville Town Council meeting to ask them to end their agreement with ICE and help shut down the detention center for good. These are his words.]
My name is Hanif. I am from Pakistan. I am an attorney in Pakistan. I came to the USA in August 2015 for study of Master of Law (LLM). But because of financial problems, I could not continue my studies. I started jobs in different gas stations in order to save money for my law school so I could continue my studies. During that time in 2018, ICE arrested me, and now for more than 33 months I am still in ICE custody in Farmville Detention Center.
I have developed serious medical conditions while in custody with ICE in Farmville Detention Center — I have PTSD, anxiety, asthma, high cholesterol, prostate [issues], loss of memory, scary dreams during sleeping, severe pain in heart, knee, kidney.
I believe Farmville Detention Center is the worst place I have ever seen in my life, and I believe Farmville Detention Center should be shut down.
I applied twice for my release under Fraihat*, but ICE denied my every application of release. My case is still pending in Fourth Circuit Court. I have experienced worse discrimination, mistreatment, racism, revenge, retaliation, and Islamophobia in Farmville Detention Center.
Last month, July 29, 2021, I have been tortured and beaten by Farmville Detention Center staff members and officers. I fell on the floor unconscious. I have medical proof for that incident of torture and brutality. I have been humiliated, terrorized, and threatened by ICE officers and Farmville Detention Center staff members and officers by pointing fingers at me and by using inappropriate words at me on June 22, 2021.
I wrote more than 30 grievances and reported by complaints to ICE and Farmville Detention Center’s high authority about discrimination, mistreatment, racism, but all went unanswered. I believe Farmville Detention Center is the worst place I have ever seen in my life, and I believe Farmville Detention Center should be shut down.
*Because of the Fraihat v. ICE court decision ICE is required to do a custody re-determination for detained people who have medical conditions that can exacerbate COVID-19 symptoms.
Free Them All VA is an abolitionist coalition centered around amplifying the organizing of those incarcerated in Virginia detention centers, jails, and prisons. Our demand to free them all has no asterisk. All means all.
