FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 25, 2024
Contact:
Amrita Kular, SALDEF Director of Communications
(202) 393-2700 | media@saldef.org
SALDEF & GA LEADERS MOURN TRAGIC DEATH OF SIKH MIGRANT IN GEORGIA IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTER
Civil Rights Organizations Urge for a More Humane Immigration Process
WASHINGTON D.C. – The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) expresses deep sorrow over the death of Mr. Jaspal Singh, a 57-year-old Indian national, who passed away while in custody at the Folkston ICE Processing Center in Georgia.
The Folkston ICE Processing Center is operated by the GEO Group, a private prison company, that has a documented history of abuse and neglect for migrants in their facilities. SALDEF joins the Southern Poverty Law Center, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Atlanta), and Senator Nabilah Islam Parkes (SD-7) in urging federal policymakers to enact meaningful reforms that prioritize alternatives to detention and ensure the humane treatment of all individuals in immigration custody.
While the circumstances surrounding Mr. Singh’s death remain unclear, his passing raises serious concerns about the pattern of mistreatment of immigrants in detention facilities, particularly those run by private prison corporations like the GEO Group.
Kavneet Singh (Acting Executive Director of SALDEF):
“We are deeply saddened upon hearing of the tragic passing of Mr. Jaspal Singh,” said Kavneet Singh, Acting Executive Director at SALDEF. “Our deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones as they navigate this incredibly difficult time. We call upon ICE and local prison authorities to fully investigate the causes and circumstances that led to this death, including if any abuses occurred, and provide a complete accounting of the events.”
State Senator Nabilah Islam Parkes (GA SD-7):
“The death of Jaspal Singh in ICE custody is a tragedy fueled by a system with a troubling history,” said State Senator Nabilah Islam. “We must hold FIPC accountable for its ongoing human rights violations and ensure a humane immigration process that respects the dignity of all, especially those from marginalized communities like the Sikh American community.”
Meredyth Yoon (Litigation Director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta):
“Mr. Singh’s untimely passing occurs within the context of the Folkston ICE Processing Center’s history of mistreating Indian nationals and Sikhs in particular. Tragically, Mr. Singh’s name joins a long list of more than 230 people who have died while in ICE custody since its creation in 2003.”
Maura Finn (Senior Lead Attorney – Southern Poverty Law Center):
“We are horrified by the loss of Jaspal Singh while in the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the GEO Group. Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones as they face this cruel injustice.” said Maura Finn, Senior Lead Attorney at Southern Poverty Law Center. “Despite longstanding and well-documented human rights abuses, Congress continues to expand the number of beds in immigrant detention and direct millions of taxpayer dollars towards this inhumane system. Singh’s death is another reminder of the barbaric conditions that color our country’s broken immigration system. As politicians wield immigration as a wedge issue to score political points, Black and Brown migrants are dying in detention facilities handed over to the for-profit private prison industry.”
About SALDEF
SALDEF (The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund) is the nation’s oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization. Based in Washington D.C., SALDEF works to build Sikh American capacity through education, fostering community, and civic engagement. By engaging with federal and state leaders, publishing critical policy reports, placing Sikh Americans in government and advocacy internships across the nation, and more. SALDEF is paving a brighter path for future generations. www.saldef.org
About State Senator Nabilah Islam Parkes
Nabilah Islam Parkes is the youngest woman ever elected to the Georgia State Senate. She is also the first Muslim woman and the first South Asian woman elected to the Senate. The daughter of working-class immigrants from Bangladesh, Nabilah watched her parents work long hours to put food on the table. When she was in high school, her mother was injured at the warehouse. Nabilah saw firsthand the devastating effects our broken healthcare system can have on families. Since that moment, Nabilah has been a staunch advocate fighting for quality healthcare and Medicaid expansion. In the State Senate, Nabilah has emerged as a strong fighter not only for healthcare access but also women’s reproductive rights, veterans, and tax relief for working families.
About Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)
The SPLC is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people.
About Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) and other immigrant communities in Georgia and the Southeast.
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