LGBT Immigrants in ICE Custody Face Discrimination, Higher Retention Rates: Report
A recent report by the Center for American Progress found Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) overwhelmingly discriminate against LGBT immigrants, despite recent attempts by the Obama administration to improve the treatment of LGBT people in the country and around the world.
In a lengthy report written by Sharita Gruberg, senior policy analyst at the progressive organization, she outlines how immigrants who are sexual minorities have higher retention rates than heterosexual immigrants.
"Seventy percent of all LGBT persons processed through ICE's RCA system were given an option or recommendation of release, yet 68 percent of them were instead detained and more than half were detained without bond," the press release stated.
The Risk Classification Assessment, or RCA, was introduced in 2013 to determine whether an immigrant detained should be held or released and, if detained, what classification level they should be given, explained Gruberg in the report.
The Obama administration has championed LGBT rights since President Barack Obama's first term. Over the weekend the president released a statement on International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.
"Here at home, we are working to end bias-motivated violence, combat discrimination in the workplace, and address the specific needs of transgender persons. Overseas, I am proud of the steps that the United States has taken to prioritize the protection and promotion of LGBT rights in our diplomacy and global outreach," the president said.
However, ICE's practices continue to show a tendency to discriminate against LGBT people. Gruberg explains ICE continues to detain LGBT immigrants as a way to fulfill a government quota requiring ICE to keep 34,000 immigrants detained daily.
Sarah Saldaña, ICE director, refuted these claims, explaining the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is required to maintain 34,000 beds not detain 34,000 people. Yet, as the numbers show, ICE continues to fill the beds with many LGBT immigrants.
Citing a study by the DHS Office of the Inspector General, Gruberg argues ICE targets LGBT people because it showed ICE officials overruled RCA's explicit recommendations 19 percent of the time with LGBT immigrants. However, with the overall population it was 7.6 percent.
The White House released its fact sheet on promoting LGBT rights and among the various points highlighted included what the government is doing to correct its previous mistakes.
"A number of Departments and Agencies, including State, USAID, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and the Peace Corps are providing new training for staff and implementing partners to better understand the issues of gender identity and sexual orientation and agency roles in advancing the human rights of LGBT persons," the fact sheet explained.
Yet, this may not be enough and Gruberg calls for more immediate action, explaining LGBT people tend to be greater targets while in custody. She explains studies show LGBT people in custody "are up to 10 times more likely to face sexual assault than heterosexual detainees, and nearly 40 percent of transgender detainees were sexually assaulted."
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