We are raising funds for the immigration legal defense of a disabled lawful permanent resident currently detained in ICE custody at California City Correctional in Bakersfield California.
He was brought to the United States as a child seeking asylum after credible threats against his family and has lived in the U.S. for over 20 years. He is disabled, unable to work, and financially dependent on family support. He relies on medication and daily assistance to function and lives with serious mental and physical health conditions. While in detention, he reports overcrowded conditions, medical neglect, and intimidation. He now fears deportation to Peru — where he has no immediate ties, no support system, and would face extreme vulnerability due to his disabilities and lack of independence.
We urgently need funds for:
• Immigration legal defense
• Bond (if available)
• Medical and mental health advocacy
• Expert documentation and case preparation
• Protection from removal
If you can donate or share, it could make the difference between safety and irreversible harm.
His full account of what he has witnessed and endured is below.
I am writing anonymously to protect a loved one, who is currently in ICE custody. Everything written here has been reported directly to us by him.
He is a lawful permanent resident. He came to the United States as a young child with his family seeking asylum because their lives were threatened due to military-related ties in their home country. He is disabled and lives with serious mental illness and physical health conditions. He depends heavily on family, friends and community resources for daily stability, care, and support.
Right now, he is detained in a desert prison facility, far from home, without the care he depends on.
We are in shock. He is in shock.
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Transfers Across States
He was first transported from Utah to Arizona.
In Arizona, he was held at a small facility near the tarmac. He described very small holding cells — approximately 16 men in cramped spaces with one toilet.
He said he saw a dry erase board listing each cell and the number of detainees assigned to it. His cell was listed at 16. Other cells in the same facility were marked with higher numbers — in the 30s, 40s, and even 50s — indicating how many men were being held in those spaces.
He reports that in those higher-count cells within the Arizona facility, men were packed so tightly that some slept standing up. Others slept on top of each other. Some filled every available space, including near toilets and along walls.
Water coolers were placed inside some cells, but they reportedly leaked, making it difficult for men to lie down without getting wet.
He described the Arizona facility as overwhelmed — a temporary holding site where detainees were being processed and moved in waves.
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The Flight from Arizona to California
From Arizona, he was transported to California on a large aircraft carrying approximately 280–300 detainees.
He described standard airline seating, but men packed tightly together, shoulder to shoulder, with almost no personal space.
He said detainees were warned not to speak.
Bathroom access was heavily restricted. Men were told to hold it. When one man insisted he needed to use the restroom, he said that man faced retaliation.
He described the atmosphere as tense and controlled — like everyone was afraid to draw attention to themselves.
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Landing in the Desert
When the plane landed in the desert, he said they were marched off in shackles onto the tarmac.
Buses formed a tight circle around them, creating a barrier so they could not see beyond it. Helicopters circled low overhead.
He described looking out and seeing what felt like a giant sea of men in shackles — rows and rows of restrained bodies lined up across the pavement. Hundreds of men. Everywhere he looked, more shackled bodies.
He said it felt surreal, almost like a scene from a movie — except it was real, and he was standing in it.
They were all restrained. Shackled at the wrists and ankles. Surrounded by buses. Guarded. Nowhere to go.
And yet helicopters continued circling above them.
He kept thinking: What did they think anyone was going to do? Run into the desert while shackled?
To him, the helicopters did not feel necessary. They felt like intimidation. Like the display was meant to overwhelm and frighten.
This was one of the most terrifying moments of his life.
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Strip-Searched Under Helicopters
Still on that tarmac — surrounded by buses and with helicopters flying overhead — all of the men were strip-searched outdoors.
He said the humiliation of that moment is hard to explain.
Hundreds of men in shackles. Exposed. In the open desert. Under circling helicopters.
He said it felt degrading and deeply dehumanizing.
It was during this same process that belongings were handed back.
Many men realized their phones, wallets, identification, bank cards, and personal items were missing.
He described men openly mourning — crying, panicking, pleading — terrified of being deported with nothing. No ID. No money. No way to contact their families.
He said the sound of grown men lamenting while standing in shackles under helicopters is something he will never forget.
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California City
He was then transferred by bus to California City, where he remains detained.
As they approached the facility, he described seeing layers of triple barbed-wire fencing surrounding it. He said the structure looked and felt intimidating even before they entered.
He said that as the bus got closer to the facility, the music playing inside changed. Earlier it had been playing rap music. As they neared the detention center, it switched to Hispanic music.
He said the shift felt deliberate.
He described it as feeling mocking — as if their culture was being used to intimidate or make light of the fact that many of the men on board were Latino immigrants. He cannot say what the officers intended, but he said the timing made it feel purposeful and unsettling.
Before arrival, officers boarded the bus and began presenting what they framed as an “opportunity” for detainees to sign self-deportation documents.
He said it was presented as if this was their chance to sign and leave.
Many of the men were wary. He said detainees are often afraid to sign self-deportation paperwork because they do not fully understand what rights they may be waiving. He also reports hearing later at the facility that some men who signed those documents still remain detained for months awaiting hearings.
He described the process as confusing and pressuring.
Upon intake, he said medical felt dismissive. He said it felt as though no one was concerned with the condition the men arrived in — despite the long transfers, overcrowding, and visible illness.
Conditions there are still harsh and overcrowded, but not 40–60 men to a single cell. Each detainee has an assigned bunk.
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Illness and Physical Conditions
He said many of the men are sick.
He himself has had a constant runny nose. He described coughing, congestion, and men visibly unwell around him. He believes the overcrowded conditions and constant transfers are contributing to illness spreading among detainees.
He said that, as difficult as California City is, some of the men arriving there describe it as “better” than other detention centers they were held in previously.
He specifically mentioned men transferred from a facility referred to as “Alligator Alcatraz,” who he said appeared in particularly poor condition — exhausted, physically run down, and emotionally shaken.
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Inside the Facility
Many detainees have never been incarcerated before. Some appear shell-shocked. Some are considering self-deporting simply because they cannot cope with the conditions.
He reports being denied a large portion of the medications he depends on for serious mental and physical health conditions.
These medications are critical to his stability.
Without proper medication, his mental health deteriorates. We are terrified about what prolonged denial of care could do to him.
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The Bigger Picture
He said planes like his — carrying nearly 289 men — are arriving every day.
Waves of detainees. Daily processing. Rows of shackled men. The system moving continuously.
He described it as industrial in scale.
He told us private companies appear to be responsible for staffing inside the facility. He said medical staffing seems inadequate. Some individuals presenting as medical staff appear inexperienced. He reports many detainees are being denied needed medical care.
Many men cannot advocate for themselves because they do not speak English.
He has been translating when he can — helping other detainees communicate medical needs and fears — while also trying to keep his head down so he does not get on officers’ bad sides.
He said the emotional toll of trying to help others while protecting himself is constant.
He said some officers appear ashamed. Others, he said, appear to enjoy intimidating detainees.
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Violence Against a Disabled Man
He described witnessing a disabled man being slammed into a wall by officers.
The man was talking to himself — part of his mental illness — and an officer became irritated. He reports the man was pushed hard into the wall and aggressively restrained.
The man does not speak English. He collects empty water bottles from the trash. He sometimes puts random objects in his shoes. He smiles and waves his hands. He appears cognitively impaired and vulnerable.
He said what disturbed him most was that this man is clearly someone who should be protected — yet he appears to be regularly singled out.
He reports officers repeatedly humiliating him, strip-searching him publicly, and picking on him.
He said it feels like targeting someone who cannot defend himself.
He also questions whether it is safe for him to report abuse out of fear of retaliation.
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Paperwork and Fear of Deportation
He reports that an ICE officer documented that he stated he had “no fear of persecution or torture” if returned to his home country.
He insists he never said that.
He is openly gay and from Peru, where LGBTQ individuals can face violence, rape, and torture. His family originally sought asylum because their lives were threatened. He also is a vulnerable adult who cannot provide or sustain himself with work independently.
He fears for his life if deported.
Everything shared is what was directly reported to us. We are focused on ensuring due process and medical safety through legal channels.
This fundraiser is specifically for legal defense and advocacy. We are relying on the legal system to address the situation.
Legal representation in complex immigration cases can cost $10,000–$25,000 depending on hearings, filings, and expert documentation.
Funds will go toward:
• Attorney retainer and court representation
• Bond (if granted)
• Medical expert documentation
• Filing fees and case preparation
Any additional funds will be used strictly for legal and medical advocacy related to his case.
We are currently consulting with immigration counsel to determine the full cost of representation following his transfer out of state. We expect legal fees to increase significantly due to the relocation.
We will update this page with exact figures once we receive formal estimates.
Organizer
