truthout--2020-09-01--Muslim Solidarity With Black Lives Matter Is Fueling the Push to Defund Police

Muslim groups across Wisconsin and from Washington , D.C. , joined together soon after the police-perpetrated shooting of Jacob Blake to issue a joint statement saying , “ Yet again , police officers committed horrifying , infuriating violence against a Black person.… We condemn this police shooting and demand a thorough investigation in order to bring justice to Blake and his family.
” Blake was shot in the back seven times by Kenosha police officers on August 23 , leaving him paralyzed from the waist down , with injuries to his kidney , liver , spinal cord , stomach , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rapid condemnation of the shooting of Blake comes after a spring in which many Muslims joined in on powerful demonstrations against systemic racism across the United States following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers on May 25 .
Following the murder of Floyd , many Muslim Americans had been asking why workers at Cup Foods , which is owned by a Muslim immigrant family , called the cops in the first place .
New discussions and disagreements about Black and Muslim solidarity also helped to expose the anti-Black sentiments still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muslim families .
The Black-led , youth-led protests that have risen up in the past several months — alongside the decades-long work of Black women abolitionists like Angela Davis , Ruth Wilson Gilmore and Mariame Kaba — have ignited global conversations around abolition as the complete dismantling of the policing system .
In short , “ abolition ” seeks to build a world in which we do not rely on anti-Black , white supremacist institutions to oversee society .
While high-profile politicians attempt to push reformist policies , like giving police departments $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not come from a system that continues to imprison , surveil , terrorize and murder Black communities .
Police abolitionists have long fought for defunding local police and redistributing that money toward education , housing , food and other necessities as a true means to confront neighborhood violence .
It is critical for Muslim communities to envision this model on a global scale and demand that the trillions spent on weapons , some of which are being used by the Israel Defense Forces to colonize more Palestinian land , be reallocated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spite of the fact that one-third of the U.S. Muslim population is Black , non-Black Muslims often don ’ t consider anti-Black racism , mass incarceration , or police brutality as “ Muslim ” issues .
Not only are mosques deeply segregated by race and class , but many non-Black Muslims have no knowledge of the anti-Black racism in policing .
Kenyatta Bakeer , a senior trainer at the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative , said that it ’ s been heartening to “ see the surge of non-Black people ” getting engaged in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they awaken regarding the light being shown on anti-blackness , ” but that some efforts still feel “ performative ” rather than doing work that goes beyond meaningless messages or words .
“ I am a born and raised Black American Muslim , ” Bakeer added .
“ I grew up in a primarily Black Masjid and it wasn ’ t until my father took me to an Indo Pak [ Indian-Pakistani ] Masjid [ mosque ] when I was in college , at the age of 21 , when I encountered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I just thought it was because of a difference in culture .
I didn ’ t really process it , until years later when I went to another non-Black Masjid.
” In mid-June , a few weeks after the mass mobilization against police brutality , the East Plano Islamic Center in Plano , Texas , partnered with the city ’ s police department to hold a panel discussion called “ Systemic Racism – An Open Discussion about Policing Policies with Plana Police Chief.
” A petition was created mere seconds after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50,000 signatures .
Many Muslims across the globe pleaded for the East Plano Islamic Center to cancel the event , highlighting the hypocrisy of giving the police a platform instead of listening to the demands of Black organizers .
Instead , the East Plano Islamic Center reached out to Imam Khalid Shahid , of Masjid-al-Islam , a historically Black mosque in Dallas , in an effort to mollify the masses of Muslims who agreed that this event was not in line with the demands of the Black Lives Matter movement .
Imam Shahid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m not saying the police are perfect , ” and the event went on as planned .
“ It ’ s unfortunate that the Islamic Center chose to seek out one Black imam to validate their poor decision to host this event against their community members ’ wishes , ” said Shandraya Rogers , a community member involved with the East Plano Islamic Center , adding that if the center “ truly wants to end police brutality and other forms of systemic racism in this country , I encourage its leadership to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity and platform that was given to the police chief of Plano.
” Alliances between mosques and their local police departments are not uncommon , given that Muslim communities are reliant upon law enforcement to readily combat Islamophobic threats , vandalism , or other unsafe events .
But in a period of history in which conversations around the outright abolition of police are widespread , it ’ s time for Muslim communities to re-evaluate their connection to law enforcement .
In the same vein , it ’ s important to note that law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muslim communities is an inseparable part of police violence .
The Obama administration ’ s so-called Countering Violent Extremism ( CVE ) programs continue to give police departments across the nation funds to monitor Black Muslim communities , leading to a generation of armed cops who characterize Black Muslim youth as extremists based on both their race and religion .
While Black youth are at the forefront of demonstrations across the U.S. , CVE programs have equipped cops to equate rightful resistance with criminality .
Piecing together the position of Black Muslims through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlight how stealthy surveillance programs can adapt with time but also to highlight what that means for Black Muslims today .
COINTELPRO ( an acronym for Counterintelligence Program ) was the official name of the project conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation to spy on , infiltrate , discredit , disrupt and destruct domestic organizations and individuals it considered “ subversive.
” Although COINTELPRO officially ended in 1971 , similar counterterrorism or surveillance programs exist to threaten communities of color using surplus military weapons and procedures learned from the Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Homeland Security and Denaturalization Section of the Department of Justice , which strips rights from naturalized citizens if they are convicted of certain crimes , are just a few examples of how counterterrorism has worsened the lives of Black and Muslim people .
In the face of decades-long surveillance and violence , asking mosques to discard their relationships with law enforcement isn ’ t easy .
However , abolition offers a compelling perspective that offers communities the chance to take safety into their own hands , rather than believing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the eyes of imperialist aggression .
Islam compels us to imagine justice , freedom and liberation .
Islam also demands us to stand against oppression , which is why it is not enough to say “ Black Lives Matter ” without action to change ourselves , our mosques and our communities .
“ It is my understanding that police presence in any space where marginalized communities reproduce or replicate causes the same carceral harm either in their communities or in closer spaces , ” said Queen-Cheyenne Wade , an organizer , educator and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We , in Boston know the police here do not keep our Black Muslim youth safe , and many of our community leaders and spaces act accordingly in efforts of community , safety and solidarity in the face of police violence and surveillance.
” Young Muslim organizers draw heavily on Angela Davis ’ s work and the connections it draws between policing , the prison-industrial complex and capitalism .
Capitalism is evidently antithetical to Islam , identifying the role that abolition plays in our faith .
It is our duty to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islamic liberation is indistinguishably linked to the journey of abolition .
There is no room for police in our mosques or in our hearts .
Queen-Cheyenne Wade reminds us that the Quran contains many surahs recounting those who sustain their greediness by oppressing others , like Surah Al-Masad .
“ As an abolitionist , I understand this work as not only the dismantling and abolition of police systems , but of all systems that are created with the intention of harm and exploitation of Black peoples and other communities of color , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from these injustices is a direct betrayal to our understanding of God ’ s truth about human connectedness .
”

Part of the Series The Road to Abolition
Muslim groups across Wisconsin and from Washington, D.C., joined together soon after the police-perpetrated shooting of Jacob Blake to issue a joint statement saying, “Yet again, police officers committed horrifying, infuriating violence against a Black person.… We condemn this police shooting and demand a thorough investigation in order to bring justice to Blake and his family.”
Blake was shot in the back seven times by Kenosha police officers on August 23, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down, with injuries to his kidney, liver, spinal cord, stomach, intestines and more.
Muslim groups’ rapid condemnation of the shooting of Blake comes after a spring in which many Muslims joined in on powerful demonstrations against systemic racism across the United States following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers on May 25.
Following the murder of Floyd, many Muslim Americans had been asking why workers at Cup Foods, which is owned by a Muslim immigrant family, called the cops in the first place. New discussions and disagreements about Black and Muslim solidarity also helped to expose the anti-Black sentiments still harbored in many South Asian and Arab Muslim families.
The Black-led, youth-led protests that have risen up in the past several months — alongside the decades-long work of Black women abolitionists like Angela Davis, Ruth Wilson Gilmore and Mariame Kaba — have ignited global conversations around abolition as the complete dismantling of the policing system. In short, “abolition” seeks to build a world in which we do not rely on anti-Black, white supremacist institutions to oversee society. While high-profile politicians attempt to push reformist policies, like giving police departments $300 million for body cameras, self-determination cannot come from a system that continues to imprison, surveil, terrorize and murder Black communities.
Police abolitionists have long fought for defunding local police and redistributing that money toward education, housing, food and other necessities as a true means to confront neighborhood violence. It is critical for Muslim communities to envision this model on a global scale and demand that the trillions spent on weapons, some of which are being used by the Israel Defense Forces to colonize more Palestinian land, be reallocated to the needs of the community.
In spite of the fact that one-third of the U.S. Muslim population is Black, non-Black Muslims often don’t consider anti-Black racism, mass incarceration, or police brutality as “Muslim” issues. Not only are mosques deeply segregated by race and class, but many non-Black Muslims have no knowledge of the anti-Black racism in policing.
Kenyatta Bakeer, a senior trainer at the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative, said that it’s been heartening to “see the surge of non-Black people” getting engaged in the movement against anti-Black police violence, “as they awaken regarding the light being shown on anti-blackness,” but that some efforts still feel “performative” rather than doing work that goes beyond meaningless messages or words.
“I am a born and raised Black American Muslim,” Bakeer added. “I grew up in a primarily Black Masjid and it wasn’t until my father took me to an Indo Pak [Indian-Pakistani] Masjid [mosque] when I was in college, at the age of 21, when I encountered bias and being shunned by non-Black Muslims. I just thought it was because of a difference in culture. I didn’t really process it, until years later when I went to another non-Black Masjid.”
In mid-June, a few weeks after the mass mobilization against police brutality, the East Plano Islamic Center in Plano, Texas, partnered with the city’s police department to hold a panel discussion called “Systemic Racism – An Open Discussion about Policing Policies with Plana Police Chief.” A petition was created mere seconds after the lecture was publicized that now has over 50,000 signatures. Many Muslims across the globe pleaded for the East Plano Islamic Center to cancel the event, highlighting the hypocrisy of giving the police a platform instead of listening to the demands of Black organizers. Instead, the East Plano Islamic Center reached out to Imam Khalid Shahid, of Masjid-al-Islam, a historically Black mosque in Dallas, in an effort to mollify the masses of Muslims who agreed that this event was not in line with the demands of the Black Lives Matter movement. Imam Shahid made comments such as, “I’m not saying the police are perfect,” and the event went on as planned.
“It’s unfortunate that the Islamic Center chose to seek out one Black imam to validate their poor decision to host this event against their community members’ wishes,” said Shandraya Rogers, a community member involved with the East Plano Islamic Center, adding that if the center “truly wants to end police brutality and other forms of systemic racism in this country, I encourage its leadership to give their Black community members the same opportunity and platform that was given to the police chief of Plano.”
Alliances between mosques and their local police departments are not uncommon, given that Muslim communities are reliant upon law enforcement to readily combat Islamophobic threats, vandalism, or other unsafe events. But in a period of history in which conversations around the outright abolition of police are widespread, it’s time for Muslim communities to re-evaluate their connection to law enforcement.
In the same vein, it’s important to note that law enforcement’s targeting and surveillance of Muslim communities is an inseparable part of police violence. The Obama administration’s so-called Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programs continue to give police departments across the nation funds to monitor Black Muslim communities, leading to a generation of armed cops who characterize Black Muslim youth as extremists based on both their race and religion. While Black youth are at the forefront of demonstrations across the U.S., CVE programs have equipped cops to equate rightful resistance with criminality. Piecing together the position of Black Muslims through U.S. history can help not only to highlight how stealthy surveillance programs can adapt with time but also to highlight what that means for Black Muslims today.
COINTELPRO (an acronym for Counterintelligence Program) was the official name of the project conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation to spy on, infiltrate, discredit, disrupt and destruct domestic organizations and individuals it considered “subversive.”Although COINTELPRO officially ended in 1971, similar counterterrorism or surveillance programs exist to threaten communities of color using surplus military weapons and procedures learned from the Israel Defense Forces. The creation of both the Department of Homeland Security and Denaturalization Section of the Department of Justice, which strips rights from naturalized citizens if they are convicted of certain crimes, are just a few examples of how counterterrorism has worsened the lives of Black and Muslim people.
Islamic liberation is indistinguishably linked to the journey of abolition. There is no room for police in our mosques or in our hearts.
In the face of decades-long surveillance and violence, asking mosques to discard their relationships with law enforcement isn’t easy. However, abolition offers a compelling perspective that offers communities the chance to take safety into their own hands, rather than believing that surface-level reforms will make us human in the eyes of imperialist aggression. Islam compels us to imagine justice, freedom and liberation. Islam also demands us to stand against oppression, which is why it is not enough to say “Black Lives Matter” without action to change ourselves, our mosques and our communities.
“It is my understanding that police presence in any space where marginalized communities reproduce or replicate causes the same carceral harm either in their communities or in closer spaces,” said Queen-Cheyenne Wade, an organizer, educator and cofounder of the Greater Boston Marxist Association. “We, in Boston know the police here do not keep our Black Muslim youth safe, and many of our community leaders and spaces act accordingly in efforts of community, safety and solidarity in the face of police violence and surveillance.”
Young Muslim organizers draw heavily on Angela Davis’s work and the connections it draws between policing, the prison-industrial complex and capitalism. Capitalism is evidently antithetical to Islam, identifying the role that abolition plays in our faith. It is our duty to vehemently stand for justice by acknowledging that Islamic liberation is indistinguishably linked to the journey of abolition. There is no room for police in our mosques or in our hearts. Queen-Cheyenne Wade reminds us that the Quran contains many surahs recounting those who sustain their greediness by oppressing others, like Surah Al-Masad.
“As an abolitionist, I understand this work as not only the dismantling and abolition of police systems, but of all systems that are created with the intention of harm and exploitation of Black peoples and other communities of color,” said Queen-Cheyenne. “To look away from these injustices is a direct betrayal to our understanding of God’s truth about human connectedness.”
CORRECTION: This article was updated on September 2 to reflect that Joe Biden had suggested $300 million go toward reform efforts such as body cameras.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-09-01--Trump Defends Kyle Rittenhouse But Refuses to Meet Jacob Blake’s Family

President Trump , speaking to reporters during a Monday press briefing , refused to condemn the shooting by 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse , who is charged with killing two protesters in Kenosha , Wisconsin , last week .
Rittenhouse , who is from northern Illinois , traveled to Kenosha in order to join other armed militia members who were attempting to quell uprisings in the city that had come about due to the shooting of Jacob Blake by police .
The teen is presently being charged as an adult with a number of offenses , including first-degree intentional homicide , first-degree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homicide .
Rittenhouse was also charged with first-degree recklessly endangering safety , and received a misdemeanor charge for possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under age 18 , as it is illegal in Wisconsin for minors to carry assault rifles unless they are being used for hunting .
When Trump was asked to comment on Rittenhouse ’ s actions on Monday , he described what the teen had done as an act of self-defense .
“ He was trying to get away from them , I guess , it looks like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big trouble .
He probably would have been killed , ” Trump said .
The comments from the president contrast with the message he ’ s been pushing lately that he ’ s a leader who is focused on enforcing the law .
Rittenhouse ’ s presence in Kenosha last week , wielding a weapon that he legally shouldn ’ t have been in possession of ( and also being out past the city ’ s mandated curfew ) , goes against that motif , and demonstrates the president is willing to look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many situations , particularly if it involves right-wing violence .
Reporters also asked Trump whether his planned visit to Kenosha on Tuesday was wise , given that state leaders had requested that he refrain from coming to the city as it may make matters worse .
Trump brushed aside those concerns , suggesting his presence may actually be a unifying force .
“ Well , it could also increase enthusiasm , ” Trump said , “ and it could increase love and respect for our country .
And that ’ s why I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit to Kenosha , however , will not include meeting with the family of Blake , the man who was shot by police seven times in the back while attempting to enter his vehicle .
It was this shooting — video of which was shared widely on social media — which propelled the uprisings in the city .
“ They wanted me to speak .
They wanted to have lawyers involved , and I thought that was inappropriate , so I didn ’ t do that , ” Trump said on Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pastor of the family.
” Although Blake was not killed by the police ( he was seriously injured and left paralyzed from the waist down ) past attempts by Trump to meet with grieving families have been controversial .
In 2017 , for example , Trump infamously told a grieving military widow that her husband “ knew what he signed up for , ” a statement for which he was heavily criticized but that he later said was “ totally fabricated.
” Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden criticized Trump on Monday , disputing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will reduce violence in the United States .
“ Does anyone believe there will be less violence in America if Donald Trump is reelected ?
” Biden asked during a campaign speech he gave .
Biden himself , however , condemned uprisings in various cities across the country , prompting challenges from progressives and activists .
“ Violence will not bring change .
It will only bring destruction .
It ’ s wrong in every way , ” Biden said .
Biden , like a number of other Democratic Party members , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing for racial justice in the U.S. , fearing that the unrest will help Trump in the 2020 races .
However , these fears don ’ t appear to align with recent historical trends .
When uprisings against the police killing of George Floyd began in late May , many predicted that Trump ’ s polling numbers would go up .
But in fact , Biden ’ s lead in the presidential election polls widened after those demonstrations began , and Americans support the protests in large numbers .

President Trump, speaking to reporters during a Monday press briefing, refused to condemn the shooting by 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, who is charged with killing two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last week.
Rittenhouse, who is from northern Illinois, traveled to Kenosha in order to join other armed militia members who were attempting to quell uprisings in the city that had come about due to the shooting of Jacob Blake by police.
The teen is presently being charged as an adult with a number of offenses, including first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, and attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Rittenhouse was also charged with first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and received a misdemeanor charge for possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under age 18, as it is illegal in Wisconsin for minors to carry assault rifles unless they are being used for hunting.
When Trump was asked to comment on Rittenhouse’s actions on Monday, he described what the teen had done as an act of self-defense.
“He was trying to get away from them, I guess, it looks like. I guess he was in very big trouble. He probably would have been killed,” Trump said.
The comments from the president contrast with the message he’s been pushing lately that he’s a leader who is focused on enforcing the law. Rittenhouse’s presence in Kenosha last week, wielding a weapon that he legally shouldn’t have been in possession of (and also being out past the city’s mandated curfew), goes against that motif, and demonstrates the president is willing to look the other way on criminal behavior in many situations, particularly if it involves right-wing violence.
Reporters also asked Trump whether his planned visit to Kenosha on Tuesday was wise, given that state leaders had requested that he refrain from coming to the city as it may make matters worse. Trump brushed aside those concerns, suggesting his presence may actually be a unifying force.
“Well, it could also increase enthusiasm,” Trump said, “and it could increase love and respect for our country. And that’s why I’m going.”
Trump’s visit to Kenosha, however, will not include meeting with the family of Blake, the man who was shot by police seven times in the back while attempting to enter his vehicle. It was this shooting — video of which was shared widely on social media — which propelled the uprisings in the city.
“They wanted me to speak. They wanted to have lawyers involved, and I thought that was inappropriate, so I didn’t do that,” Trump said on Monday. “But I did speak with the pastor of the family.”
Although Blake was not killed by the police (he was seriously injured and left paralyzed from the waist down) past attempts by Trump to meet with grieving families have been controversial. In 2017, for example, Trump infamously told a grieving military widow that her husband “knew what he signed up for,” a statement for which he was heavily criticized but that he later said was “totally fabricated.”
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden criticized Trump on Monday, disputing assertions by the current commander-in-chief that he will reduce violence in the United States.
“Does anyone believe there will be less violence in America if Donald Trump is reelected?” Biden asked during a campaign speech he gave.
Biden himself, however, condemned uprisings in various cities across the country, prompting challenges from progressives and activists. “Violence will not bring change. It will only bring destruction. It’s wrong in every way,” Biden said.
Biden, like a number of other Democratic Party members, is seemingly reluctant to support the current uprisings pushing for racial justice in the U.S., fearing that the unrest will help Trump in the 2020 races. However, these fears don’t appear to align with recent historical trends.
When uprisings against the police killing of George Floyd began in late May, many predicted that Trump’s polling numbers would go up. But in fact, Biden’s lead in the presidential election polls widened after those demonstrations began, and Americans support the protests in large numbers.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-09-01--Kenosha Police Under Scrutiny for Case of Black Teen Jailed for Killing Abuser

We look at how the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha , Wisconsin , has brought renewed scrutiny to another case from 2018 : that of Black teenager Chrystul Kizer , who faces charges of killing her alleged sex trafficker , a 34-year-old white man , when she was just 17 years old .
Court records show Randall Volar had a history of sexually abusing underage Black girls that was known to the Kenosha police , but he remained free for months .
In June 2018 , Kizer says she shot and killed Volar in self-defense after he drugged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kizer was freed from jail on $ 400,000 bail in June but is still fighting her case .
“ It really says a lot about the police force there , the prosecutors there , ” says Washington Post reporter Jessica Contrera .
“ Chrystul is at the center of this case that says everything about the sexual trauma that so many young Black girls go through when they are trafficked.
” This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González .
President Trump is heading to Kenosha , Wisconsin , today despite fierce opposition to his visit and as protests over the police shooting of unarmed Black father Jacob Blake continue .
On Monday , Trump defended 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse , the white militia member who opened fire on Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha last week , killing two of them .
This comes as calls are growing for the Kenosha police chief and county sheriff to resign , after Kenosha police allowed Rittenhouse to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters .
Video shows police officers offering members of the armed white mob water earlier in the night .
Rittenhouse faces up to life in prison , was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree reckless homicide .
Well , Jacob Blake ’ s shooting by a police officer and the police behavior in the streets of Kenosha have brought renewed scrutiny to another case from 2018 : that of Black teenager Chrystul Kizer , who faces charges of killing her alleged sex trafficker , a 34-year-old white man , when she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show that the man , Randall Volar , had a history of sexually abusing underage Black girls as young as 12 .
That was known to the Kenosha police , but he remained free for months .
Then , in June 2018 , Kizer says she shot and killed Volar in self-defense after he drugged her and tried to rape her .
Chrystul Kizer was freed from jail on a $ 400,000 bail in June but is still fighting her case .
She faces life in prison .
A key figure in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Graveley , the prosecutor in Kizer ’ s case , who will also decide how to prosecute the officers involved in Jacob Blake ’ s shooting .
Well , for more on this story and the role of the Kenosha police and prosecutors in it , we go to Akron , Ohio , where we ’ re joined by Washington Post reporter Jessica Contrera , who has covered this story extensively .
Last year she wrote an in-depth piece headlined “ He was sexually abusing underage girls .
Then , police said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jessica , thanks for joining us .
Why don ’ t you go back to 2018 and talk about what happened and why Chrystul Kizer ended up in jail and is facing life in prison ?
JESSICA CONTRERA : Thanks so much for having me .
Yes , Chrystul Kizer was 16 years old when she met Randy Volar .
She was living in Milwaukee at the time .
Her family had moved there recently , and they were in and out of homelessness .
Randy Volar was sexually abusing Chrystul for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because he filmed it , and there ’ s video evidence of him filming sexual abuse of other underage Black girls .
In June of 2018 , Chrystul says she went to his house one night because she had had a fight with her boyfriend , that she was hoping to just find refuge in this adult , who she had come to trust .
And what happened was that in the middle of the night , Chrystul shot and killed Randy Volar .
She had brought a gun with her to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire , and she fled in his car .
The prosecutors in the case say that Chrystul premeditated the murder , that she intended to go there and kill Mr. Volar in — they say , because she was interested in stealing his car .
Chrystul tells an entirely different story .
I ’ ve spoken to her at length from jail .
She says that she was acting in self-defense .
And basically , Chrystul is at the center of this case that says everything about the sexual trauma that so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are trafficked , and what can happen .
She is not the first sex trafficking victim to be criminalized for what she says is self-defense , but her case took place in Kenosha .
And so , it really says a lot about the police force there , the prosecutors there .
And she ’ s now out , but she is still charged with life in prison — or , excuse me , she is still charged with first-degree intentional homicide and could face life in prison .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about what this says a lot about the criminal justice system in Kenosha , we recall that after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson , it was discovered that there had been systematic abuse by the police in the Black community almost as — in terms of tickets and warrants , to basically raise revenue for the town , that were directed against the Black community .
What have you found in your reporting of how Kenosha police have dealt with situations or crimes within the — that affect the Black community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can speak to what happened to Chrystul specifically .
We know that when Chrystul — at the time that Chrystul was being sexually abused by Randy Volar , he was under investigation from the Kenosha Police Department .
The Kenosha Police Department actually arrested him in February .
And during the course of that arrest , they raided his home and found video evidence that — they found video evidence that Mr. Volar was sexually abusing multiple underage Black girls .
They didn ’ t know how old these girls were .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed that some of the girls appeared to be as young as 12 .
They also found video evidence that he had hundreds , they said , of videos of child pornography .
But on that very same day , they released Randy Volar .
And three months passed before they turned that evidence over to the district attorney .
And even once the district attorney had that evidence , 12 days passed before Mr. Volar was killed , and they no longer could prosecute the case .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the reason for the three-month delay in turning over the evidence to the district attorney ?
JESSICA CONTRERA : So , the Kenosha Police Department would not comment for my story .
They still have not provided a reason for that .
The Kenosha district attorney says that they had assigned a sex crimes prosecutor to the case and were under continued investigation , trying to figure out things like how old the girls were and what charges were available .
But we spoke , in the course of our reporting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have experience with sex crimes , who say that this case , with so much video evidence , was something that should have been handled in a much different way .
AMY GOODMAN : You were with Chrystul ’ s mother when she opened the boxes of evidence that had been gotten under discovery ?
Is that right , Jessica ?
Can you describe what she saw ?
I mean , we ’ re talking about hundreds of pictures and videotapes — that the police had when they released him .
JESSICA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the course of our reporting , I of course tried to get access to the investigative file on Mr. Volar , and the police continued to deny that request .
But Chrystul had access to that information and — while she was in jail .
And because she moved between jail and a prison at the time , the box that the evidence was in was actually mailed to her mother .
And so , I was with her mother when she was seeing for the first time a partial report of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were a number of pictures that were screenshots from these videos , including a screenshot of her daughter , that she could see that police had evidence that her daughter was with this man , and that they had this evidence that he was abusing not only her , but multiple girls .
It was just devastating to watch .
I can ’ t describe .
You know , her mother was , of course , crying and screaming .
And her mom was grappling with the fact that if this man had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held , her daughter wouldn ’ t have done what she did , and her daughter wouldn ’ t be facing life in prison .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And could you talk about the affirmative defense for child sex trafficking victims that Chrystul Kizer ’ s legal team is attempting to use in this case ?
JESSICA CONTRERA : Yes .
Thank you so much for asking .
That ’ s a really important part of this case .
So , in many states , there are versions of what ’ s called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So , in this case , Chrystul was clearly a sex trafficking victim because she was underage at the time .
And so , what the affirmative defense allows someone to do is point to a crime that they committed and say that they committed that crime because they were a sex trafficking victim at the time .
Now , this is something that is used frequently across the country for charges related to prostitution or solicitation .
It is also sometimes used for things that young women , in most cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as robbery or carrying drugs .
It has not , anywhere across the country , been used in a case of a homicide .
And Chrystul Kizer ’ s defense team says that in this particular circumstance she should be allowed to use the affirmative defense to explain what happened .
AMY GOODMAN : And Graveley ?
Can you talk about the DA ?
Because that goes to this case today , which we ’ re not asking you to comment on , and Jacob Blake , but he is the DA involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yes , absolutely .
So , Michael Graveley is the district attorney of Kenosha County .
And he , in Chrystul ’ s case , has been at the center of it from the very beginning .
He has resisted being swayed by public opinion in any way , and I think he would be the first to tell you that , that even though there are over 100,000 signatures on a petition for Chrystul , even though protesters have come to his office and have come to where he teaches to try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand what they see as Chrystul as a victim , he has been very persistent in saying that he will not be swayed by public opinion .
And I think we saw that in his reaction after Jacob Blake .
He got up to the microphone and said that a thorough investigation would be conducted , of course , before he came to any decision , and that he would make his decision only on the basis of the results of the investigation .
AMY GOODMAN : Jessica Contrera , we want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporter at The Washington Post .
We ’ re going to link to your piece that you did on Chrystul Kizer ’ s case .
That piece is headlined “ He was sexually abusing underage girls .
Then , police said , one of them killed him.
” This certainly is reminiscent of the Cyntoia Brown case .
This is Democracy Now !
, democracynow.org .
When we come back , we go to Louisiana , people in areas devastated by Hurricane Laura .
We ’ re going to go to those in @ @ @ @ @ @ @

We look at how the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has brought renewed scrutiny to another case from 2018: that of Black teenager Chrystul Kizer, who faces charges of killing her alleged sex trafficker, a 34-year-old white man, when she was just 17 years old. Court records show Randall Volar had a history of sexually abusing underage Black girls that was known to the Kenosha police, but he remained free for months. In June 2018, Kizer says she shot and killed Volar in self-defense after he drugged her and tried to rape her. Kizer was freed from jail on $400,000 bail in June but is still fighting her case. “It really says a lot about the police force there, the prosecutors there,” says Washington Post reporter Jessica Contrera. “Chrystul is at the center of this case that says everything about the sexual trauma that so many young Black girls go through when they are trafficked.”
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González.
President Trump is heading to Kenosha, Wisconsin, today despite fierce opposition to his visit and as protests over the police shooting of unarmed Black father Jacob Blake continue. On Monday, Trump defended 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, the white militia member who opened fire on Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha last week, killing two of them. This comes as calls are growing for the Kenosha police chief and county sheriff to resign, after Kenosha police allowed Rittenhouse to leave the scene after gunning down the protesters. Video shows police officers offering members of the armed white mob water earlier in the night. Rittenhouse faces up to life in prison, was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree reckless homicide.
Well, Jacob Blake’s shooting by a police officer and the police behavior in the streets of Kenosha have brought renewed scrutiny to another case from 2018: that of Black teenager Chrystul Kizer, who faces charges of killing her alleged sex trafficker, a 34-year-old white man, when she was just 17 years old. Court records show that the man, Randall Volar, had a history of sexually abusing underage Black girls as young as 12. That was known to the Kenosha police, but he remained free for months. Then, in June 2018, Kizer says she shot and killed Volar in self-defense after he drugged her and tried to rape her. Chrystul Kizer was freed from jail on a $400,000 bail in June but is still fighting her case. She faces life in prison. A key figure in this story is Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley, the prosecutor in Kizer’s case, who will also decide how to prosecute the officers involved in Jacob Blake’s shooting.
Well, for more on this story and the role of the Kenosha police and prosecutors in it, we go to Akron, Ohio, where we’re joined by Washington Post reporter Jessica Contrera, who has covered this story extensively. Last year she wrote an in-depth piece headlined “He was sexually abusing underage girls. Then, police said, one of them killed him.”
So, Jessica, thanks for joining us. Why don’t you go back to 2018 and talk about what happened and why Chrystul Kizer ended up in jail and is facing life in prison?
JESSICA CONTRERA: Thanks so much for having me.
Yes, Chrystul Kizer was 16 years old when she met Randy Volar. She was living in Milwaukee at the time. Her family had moved there recently, and they were in and out of homelessness. Randy Volar was sexually abusing Chrystul for over a year. We know this because he filmed it, and there’s video evidence of him filming sexual abuse of other underage Black girls.
In June of 2018, Chrystul says she went to his house one night because she had had a fight with her boyfriend, that she was hoping to just find refuge in this adult, who she had come to trust. And what happened was that in the middle of the night, Chrystul shot and killed Randy Volar. She had brought a gun with her to his house. She lit the house on fire, and she fled in his car. The prosecutors in the case say that Chrystul premeditated the murder, that she intended to go there and kill Mr. Volar in — they say, because she was interested in stealing his car. Chrystul tells an entirely different story. I’ve spoken to her at length from jail. She says that she was acting in self-defense.
And basically, Chrystul is at the center of this case that says everything about the sexual trauma that so many young Black girls go through when they are trafficked, and what can happen. She is not the first sex trafficking victim to be criminalized for what she says is self-defense, but her case took place in Kenosha. And so, it really says a lot about the police force there, the prosecutors there. And she’s now out, but she is still charged with life in prison — or, excuse me, she is still charged with first-degree intentional homicide and could face life in prison.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Jessica Contrera, when you talk about what this says a lot about the criminal justice system in Kenosha, we recall that after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, it was discovered that there had been systematic abuse by the police in the Black community almost as — in terms of tickets and warrants, to basically raise revenue for the town, that were directed against the Black community. What have you found in your reporting of how Kenosha police have dealt with situations or crimes within the — that affect the Black community?
JESSICA CONTRERA: Yes, I can speak to what happened to Chrystul specifically. We know that when Chrystul — at the time that Chrystul was being sexually abused by Randy Volar, he was under investigation from the Kenosha Police Department. The Kenosha Police Department actually arrested him in February. And during the course of that arrest, they raided his home and found video evidence that — they found video evidence that Mr. Volar was sexually abusing multiple underage Black girls. They didn’t know how old these girls were. In their documents, they said that they believed that some of the girls appeared to be as young as 12. They also found video evidence that he had hundreds, they said, of videos of child pornography.
But on that very same day, they released Randy Volar. And three months passed before they turned that evidence over to the district attorney. And even once the district attorney had that evidence, 12 days passed before Mr. Volar was killed, and they no longer could prosecute the case.
AMY GOODMAN: Jessica Contrera —
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And what was the —
AMY GOODMAN: Oh, go ahead, Juan.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: What was the reason for the three-month delay in turning over the evidence to the district attorney?
JESSICA CONTRERA: So, the Kenosha Police Department would not comment for my story. They still have not provided a reason for that. The Kenosha district attorney says that they had assigned a sex crimes prosecutor to the case and were under continued investigation, trying to figure out things like how old the girls were and what charges were available. But we spoke, in the course of our reporting, to other district attorneys, other prosecutors who have experience with sex crimes, who say that this case, with so much video evidence, was something that should have been handled in a much different way.
AMY GOODMAN: You were with Chrystul’s mother when she opened the boxes of evidence that had been gotten under discovery? Is that right, Jessica? Can you describe what she saw? I mean, we’re talking about hundreds of pictures and videotapes — that the police had when they released him.
JESSICA CONTRERA: Yes. So, in the course of our reporting, I of course tried to get access to the investigative file on Mr. Volar, and the police continued to deny that request. But Chrystul had access to that information and — while she was in jail. And because she moved between jail and a prison at the time, the box that the evidence was in was actually mailed to her mother.
And so, I was with her mother when she was seeing for the first time a partial report of the investigation into Mr. Volar. And there were a number of pictures that were screenshots from these videos, including a screenshot of her daughter, that she could see that police had evidence that her daughter was with this man, and that they had this evidence that he was abusing not only her, but multiple girls. It was just devastating to watch. I can’t describe. You know, her mother was, of course, crying and screaming. And her mom was grappling with the fact that if this man had been arrested and if he had been held, her daughter wouldn’t have done what she did, and her daughter wouldn’t be facing life in prison.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And could you talk about the affirmative defense for child sex trafficking victims that Chrystul Kizer’s legal team is attempting to use in this case?
JESSICA CONTRERA: Yes. Thank you so much for asking. That’s a really important part of this case.
So, in many states, there are versions of what’s called the affirmative defense for sex trafficking victims. So, in this case, Chrystul was clearly a sex trafficking victim because she was underage at the time. And so, what the affirmative defense allows someone to do is point to a crime that they committed and say that they committed that crime because they were a sex trafficking victim at the time. Now, this is something that is used frequently across the country for charges related to prostitution or solicitation. It is also sometimes used for things that young women, in most cases, can be forced into, such as robbery or carrying drugs. It has not, anywhere across the country, been used in a case of a homicide. And Chrystul Kizer’s defense team says that in this particular circumstance she should be allowed to use the affirmative defense to explain what happened.
AMY GOODMAN: And Graveley? Can you talk about the DA? Because that goes to this case today, which we’re not asking you to comment on, and Jacob Blake, but he is the DA involved in both cases.
JESSICA CONTRERA: Yes, absolutely. So, Michael Graveley is the district attorney of Kenosha County. And he, in Chrystul’s case, has been at the center of it from the very beginning. He has resisted being swayed by public opinion in any way, and I think he would be the first to tell you that, that even though there are over 100,000 signatures on a petition for Chrystul, even though protesters have come to his office and have come to where he teaches to try to get him to listen, to understand what they see as Chrystul as a victim, he has been very persistent in saying that he will not be swayed by public opinion.
And I think we saw that in his reaction after Jacob Blake. He got up to the microphone and said that a thorough investigation would be conducted, of course, before he came to any decision, and that he would make his decision only on the basis of the results of the investigation.
AMY GOODMAN: Jessica Contrera, we want to thank you for being with us, reporter at The Washington Post. We’re going to link to your piece that you did on Chrystul Kizer’s case. That piece is headlined “He was sexually abusing underage girls. Then, police said, one of them killed him.” This certainly is reminiscent of the Cyntoia Brown case.
This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org. When we come back, we go to Louisiana, people in areas devastated by Hurricane Laura. We’re going to go to those in immigration jails. Stay with us.


truthout--2020-09-01--Jailed Asylum Seekers Report Unlivable Conditions in Wake of Hurricane Laura

New Orleans , Louisiana—Incarcerated immigrants and their families and advocates have reported dangerous , unlivable conditions and haphazard evacuations at remote immigration jails in Louisiana , where Hurricane Laura caused widespread damage and power outages as it rampaged across the state late last week .
Speaking to Truthout over the phone on Monday , an asylum seeker jailed at the Jackson Parish Correctional Center in northwestern Louisiana said her dormitory was on “ lockdown ” after one woman developed a high fever and symptoms of COVID-19 .
The asylum seeker , who asked to remain anonymous due to an ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jail were living in fear of the coronavirus and had been without running water since the storm hit .
She said immigration prisoners were using toilets filled with feces and urine and have been unable to take showers or access clean clothing .
“ She was in the dorm for a very long time before they came and took her out later , ” the asylum seeker said of the woman who fell ill with a high fever .
“ A dorm where there is poop and there is urine and we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
” The asylum seeker said people held in the jail were desperate for nutritious food and drinking water .
“ The food they give us is very small.… It ’ s not enough [ drinking ] water , we need more water , ” she said , adding that the dormitory is hot and humid without air conditioning and smells of human waste .
The Southern Poverty Law Center ( SPLC ) , which has sued the Trump administration over policies that allow for the indefinite detention of asylum seekers and inhumane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Southeast , says at least five Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) jails in Louisiana were located within Hurricane Laura ’ s path .
On Monday , the group said ICE failed to publicly share emergency plans for keeping the hundreds of immigrants in its custody safe during the storm .
Family members reported to the SPLC that immigration prisoners were “ haphazardly evacuated ” from the Allen Parish Correction Center in southern Louisiana without proper social distancing , potentially exposing them and prisoners at the facility where they were transferred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the wake of the storm , including widespread power outages , compounds existing crises of ICE detention in rural Louisiana : unsafe and dilapidated facilities , inaccessible hospitals and emergency care , and limited access to legal counsel and communication with the outside world , ” said Luz Lopez , senior supervising attorney with the SPLC ’ s Immigrant Justice Project , in a statement .
“ On top of that , we ’ ve fielded reports of careless evacuation processes , exposing potentially hundreds more to a deadly virus that ICE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” On Saturday , immigrants and asylum seekers caged in a men ’ s dorm staged a protest to call attention to the conditions at the Jackson Parish jail , where the asylum seeker Truthout spoke with is incarcerated .
The jail is a privately run facility that enjoys a lucrative contract with ICE to detain migrants , flooding local jails in Louisiana amid the Trump administration ’ s immigration crackdown .
A video apparently taken by an observer outside the jail and circulated among family members and activists shows dozens of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of a dormitory .
In a statement on Facebook on Saturday , the Jackson Parish Sheriff ’ s Department said the incarcerated migrants “ damaged their dormitory ” and the protest was “ squashed ” by authorities .
The department said that water has been restored to the facility , a statement that appears to contradict reports from the inside .
The nearby town of Jonesboro , the department said , was running its water system on generators over the weekend and having trouble keeping water flowing .
The sheriff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were able to restore power to the jail during the protest , but that this step was unrelated to the walkout staged by the immigrants .
Power outages in some local areas remained on Monday and schools were not expected to open by Tuesday or Wednesday , according to an additional statement .
Advocates say those incarcerated in the Jackson Parish jail are constantly worried about catching the coronavirus .
According to ICE ’ s official count , at least 5,300 COVID-19 cases have been recorded in immigration jails across the country , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , local sheriff ’ s departments and private contractors in Louisiana .
At least 17 people have died in ICE jails from COVID-19 and other causes so far this year , more than twice the number who died in custody last year .
Lara Nochomovitz , a defense attorney representing immigration defendants jailed in Louisiana , said a number of her clients have reported living without clean water and other unlivable conditions at Jackson Parish Correctional Center and other facilities across storm-battered Louisiana .
“ I understand there was a hurricane , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have people working on it 24 hours a day to clean it up , and you should be moving people [ or ] better yet , just release them , ” Nochomovitz said in an interview .
Protests and hunger strikes have swept through ICE jails in Louisiana and beyond during the pandemic , and in some cases guards have deployed pepper spray and rubber bullets against protesters and placed them in solitary confinement , according to immigrants ’ rights activists with contacts inside the jails .
Cameroonian asylum seekers at the Pine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have reportedly staged protests for weeks , activists in Louisiana say , and on August 14 local police broke up a demonstration outside the jail with pepper spray after clashing with protesters who traveled from New Orleans .
César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández , a law professor at the University of Denver and author of Migrating to Prison : America ’ s Obsession with Locking Up Immigrants , told Truthout in an interview that the reports from Louisiana are not surprising based on ICE ’ s negligent response to COVID-19 and the damage caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit the Gulf Coast .
“ We ’ ve been living in a public health emergency in which ICE has been both incapable and frankly unwilling to reduce the threat that exists , not only to the migrants it detains , but to its guards and its staff and to the communities in which these facilities [ are located ] for quite some time now , ” García Hernández said .
“ Jails and prisons are exactly the recipe for how you don ’ t want people living during a pandemic , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business-as-usual mode , and it ’ s not surprising that a hurricane would only worsen that situation.
” García Hernández said the dangerous conditions in ICE jails are exacerbated by the sheer number of people incarcerated under Trump administration policies that have resulted in the vast majority of asylum seekers arriving at the southern border being locked up for indefinite amounts of time .
Before President Trump took office , asylum seekers were often allowed to live with family and sponsors in their communities while their asylum claims wound through the courts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and prisons across the country , potentially spreading the coronavirus along the way .
Activists have demanded their release since the pandemic began .
“ It ’ s disheartening to see that there are so many of these facilities that are housing hundreds and sometimes even thousands of ICE ’ s detainees , and so when you take a bad situation and throw a hurricane into the mix , that expectation should be that you are only going to increase the human suffering , ” García Hernández said .
The asylum seeker at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went out when the storm hit and the floor of the dormitory became dangerously wet .
People were terrified and injured themselves slipping around in the dark .
“ It was like the hurricane came into the dorm itself … water was coming up from the ground , ” she said .
An ICE spokesperson did not respond to an emailed request for comment by the time this story was published .

New Orleans, Louisiana—Incarcerated immigrants and their families and advocates have reported dangerous, unlivable conditions and haphazard evacuations at remote immigration jails in Louisiana, where Hurricane Laura caused widespread damage and power outages as it rampaged across the state late last week.
Speaking to Truthout over the phone on Monday, an asylum seeker jailed at the Jackson Parish Correctional Center in northwestern Louisiana said her dormitory was on “lockdown” after one woman developed a high fever and symptoms of COVID-19. The asylum seeker, who asked to remain anonymous due to an ongoing immigration case, said people in the jail were living in fear of the coronavirus and had been without running water since the storm hit. She said immigration prisoners were using toilets filled with feces and urine and have been unable to take showers or access clean clothing.
“She was in the dorm for a very long time before they came and took her out later,” the asylum seeker said of the woman who fell ill with a high fever. “A dorm where there is poop and there is urine and we can’t [take a shower].”
The asylum seeker said people held in the jail were desperate for nutritious food and drinking water.
“The food they give us is very small.… It’s not enough [drinking] water, we need more water,” she said, adding that the dormitory is hot and humid without air conditioning and smells of human waste.
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which has sued the Trump administration over policies that allow for the indefinite detention of asylum seekers and inhumane conditions within immigration jails across Louisiana and the Southeast, says at least five Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) jails in Louisiana were located within Hurricane Laura’s path. On Monday, the group said ICE failed to publicly share emergency plans for keeping the hundreds of immigrants in its custody safe during the storm. Family members reported to the SPLC that immigration prisoners were “haphazardly evacuated” from the Allen Parish Correction Center in southern Louisiana without proper social distancing, potentially exposing them and prisoners at the facility where they were transferred to COVID-19.
“The devastation left in the wake of the storm, including widespread power outages, compounds existing crises of ICE detention in rural Louisiana: unsafe and dilapidated facilities, inaccessible hospitals and emergency care, and limited access to legal counsel and communication with the outside world,” said Luz Lopez, senior supervising attorney with the SPLC’s Immigrant Justice Project, in a statement. “On top of that, we’ve fielded reports of careless evacuation processes, exposing potentially hundreds more to a deadly virus that ICE has failed to contain in their facilities.”
The asylum seeker said people in the jail had been without running water since the storm hit.
On Saturday, immigrants and asylum seekers caged in a men’s dorm staged a protest to call attention to the conditions at the Jackson Parish jail, where the asylum seeker Truthout spoke with is incarcerated. The jail is a privately run facility that enjoys a lucrative contract with ICE to detain migrants, flooding local jails in Louisiana amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. A video apparently taken by an observer outside the jail and circulated among family members and activists shows dozens of people gathering in the jail yard after walking out of a dormitory.
In a statement on Facebook on Saturday, the Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Department said the incarcerated migrants “damaged their dormitory” and the protest was “squashed” by authorities. The department said that water has been restored to the facility, a statement that appears to contradict reports from the inside. The nearby town of Jonesboro, the department said, was running its water system on generators over the weekend and having trouble keeping water flowing. The sheriff’s department said on Sunday that utility workers were able to restore power to the jail during the protest, but that this step was unrelated to the walkout staged by the immigrants. Power outages in some local areas remained on Monday and schools were not expected to open by Tuesday or Wednesday, according to an additional statement.
Advocates say those incarcerated in the Jackson Parish jail are constantly worried about catching the coronavirus. According to ICE’s official count, at least 5,300 COVID-19 cases have been recorded in immigration jails across the country, including hundreds in jails run by ICE, local sheriff’s departments and private contractors in Louisiana. At least 17 people have died in ICE jails from COVID-19 and other causes so far this year, more than twice the number who died in custody last year.
Lara Nochomovitz, a defense attorney representing immigration defendants jailed in Louisiana, said a number of her clients have reported living without clean water and other unlivable conditions at Jackson Parish Correctional Center and other facilities across storm-battered Louisiana.
“I understand there was a hurricane, but that hurricane was coming and you should have people working on it 24 hours a day to clean it up, and you should be moving people [or] better yet, just release them,” Nochomovitz said in an interview.
Protests and hunger strikes have swept through ICE jails in Louisiana and beyond during the pandemic, and in some cases guards have deployed pepper spray and rubber bullets against protesters and placed them in solitary confinement, according to immigrants’ rights activists with contacts inside the jails. Cameroonian asylum seekers at the Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center in central Louisiana have reportedly staged protests for weeks, activists in Louisiana say, and on August 14 local police broke up a demonstration outside the jail with pepper spray after clashing with protesters who traveled from New Orleans.
César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández, a law professor at the University of Denver and author of Migrating to Prison: America’s Obsession with Locking Up Immigrants, told Truthout in an interview that the reports from Louisiana are not surprising based on ICE’s negligent response to COVID-19 and the damage caused to immigration prisons during earlier storms that hit the Gulf Coast.
“It was like the hurricane came into the dorm itself … water was coming up from the ground.”
“We’ve been living in a public health emergency in which ICE has been both incapable and frankly unwilling to reduce the threat that exists, not only to the migrants it detains, but to its guards and its staff and to the communities in which these facilities [are located] for quite some time now,” García Hernández said. “Jails and prisons are exactly the recipe for how you don’t want people living during a pandemic, but ICE continues to operate largely under a business-as-usual mode, and it’s not surprising that a hurricane would only worsen that situation.”
García Hernández said the dangerous conditions in ICE jails are exacerbated by the sheer number of people incarcerated under Trump administration policies that have resulted in the vast majority of asylum seekers arriving at the southern border being locked up for indefinite amounts of time. Before President Trump took office, asylum seekers were often allowed to live with family and sponsors in their communities while their asylum claims wound through the courts. Now thousands are bounced between remote jails and prisons across the country, potentially spreading the coronavirus along the way. Activists have demanded their release since the pandemic began.
“It’s disheartening to see that there are so many of these facilities that are housing hundreds and sometimes even thousands of ICE’s detainees, and so when you take a bad situation and throw a hurricane into the mix, that expectation should be that you are only going to increase the human suffering,” García Hernández said.
The asylum seeker at the Jackson Parish jail said the electricity went out when the storm hit and the floor of the dormitory became dangerously wet. People were terrified and injured themselves slipping around in the dark.
“It was like the hurricane came into the dorm itself … water was coming up from the ground,” she said.
An ICE spokesperson did not respond to an emailed request for comment by the time this story was published.
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truthout--2020-09-01--House Committee to Subpoena DeJoy’s Documents on “Deliberate Sabotage” of USPS

The House Oversight Committee is preparing to issue a subpoena to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy for documents related to the nationwide mail delays that he is “ withholding from Congress , ” Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. , said Monday .
The committee said in a memo that it intends to issue a subpoena for documents related to “ nationwide delays caused by changes to postal operations ” after DeJoy , a top Trump and Republican Party donor , refused to cooperate with the panel ’ s requests .
Maloney said DeJoy has not turned over additional documents after he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maloney plans to issue the subpoena on Wednesday .
DeJoy said in a letter to the committee on Friday that he believes his testimony “ clarified any outstanding questions you had regarding operational changes that I have implemented.
” DeJoy disputed that he was responsible for operational changes that have been blamed for the slowdown but said he had no plans to roll back changes and would continue to implement new policies after November ’ s election .
DeJoy said in the letter that USPS staff were “ working with the Oversight committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hearing.
” Democrats had asked DeJoy to provide any analysis the USPS ran on the effect of the operational changes implemented since DeJoy took over the agency in June , which included eliminating extra mail delivery trips .
The Oversight Committee said that despite DeJoy and aides ’ attempts to downplay the “ extent and gravity ” of the delays , “ headlines from states across the nation have made clear that they are far worse than previously disclosed.
” Despite DeJoy ’ s vow to provide all relevant documents to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a single additional document ” since the hearing last Monday , the committee said .
The letter said that documents DeJoy has released have been “ woefully inadequate ” and failed to respond to Democrats ’ concerns .
The letter noted that despite repeated inquiries about USPS efforts to remove mail sorting machines from post offices , lawmakers did not learn of the plans until “ internal Postal Service documents were leaked to the press.
” Maloney threatened to subpoena DeJoy during the hearing after grilling him over an internal assessment of USPS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeJoy took over the agency .
Maloney questioned why the committee learned about the assessment from a whistleblower when the panel had asked the USPS to turn over documents related to the agency ’ s performance .
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , D-N.Y. , also questioned whether DeJoy would turn over his personal calendar .
The congresswoman asked whether DeJoy , the former CEO of USPS contractor XPO Logistics , had met with any former colleagues during his tenure .
She called for Maloney to issue a subpoena if the USPS did not turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this calendar are extraordinarily important to the committee ’ s investigations , ” she said .
“ If we can not receive them voluntarily , I would recommend consideration of a subpoena for these details.
” Democrats , who passed a bill that would provide $ 25 billion in funding to aid the cash-strapped agency , have particularly been concerned with the slowdown ’ s potential effect on the delivery of mail ballots in the upcoming election .
The USPS warned 46 states that it may not be able to deliver ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump has threatened to withhold funding from the agency in an evident effort to undermine timely mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic .
DeJoy , who had acknowledged that changes made during his tenure have resulted in “ unintended consequences , ” said he would temporarily pause policy changes until after the election to “ avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail.
” But despite DeJoy ’ s claim , postal workers around the country say the policies already implemented have caused mail to pile up .
DeJoy has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hundreds of mail sorting machines that have already been removed or reverse any other changes .
“ I ’ ve never seen anything like it , ” Keith Richardson , a longtime postal clerk who serves as the president of the American Postal Workers Union chapter in Chicago , told NBC News .
“ Some stations have so much mail backed up , it ’ s three times more than the volume you would see at Christmas .
You can ’ t even walk down the aisles .
It ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ We have more packages in our facility right now than we do at the holidays , ” added Ramona Chavez , the vice president of the American Postal Workers Union chapter in Albuquerque , New Mexico .
“ We have a mail handler group on Facebook and we ’ re all reporting the same thing .
We ’ re all understaffed .
Everybody ’ s just doing everything they possibly can .
Delays are our new normal.
” Rep. Gerry Connolly , D-Va. , the chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended to “ restore confidence ” in the postal system .
“ Congress must assert itself .
The public demands it , ” he said .
“ Today ’ s action is a necessary step in our efforts to hold the Trump administration accountable for its deliberate sabotage of the Postal Service .
”

Postal workers around the country say the policies already implemented have caused mail to pile up.
The House Oversight Committee is preparing to issue a subpoena to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy for documents related to the nationwide mail delays that he is “withholding from Congress,” Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said Monday.
The committee said in a memo that it intends to issue a subpoena for documents related to “nationwide delays caused by changes to postal operations” after DeJoy, a top Trump and Republican Party donor, refused to cooperate with the panel’s requests.
Maloney said DeJoy has not turned over additional documents after he appeared before the committee last week. Maloney plans to issue the subpoena on Wednesday.
DeJoy said in a letter to the committee on Friday that he believes his testimony “clarified any outstanding questions you had regarding operational changes that I have implemented.” DeJoy disputed that he was responsible for operational changes that have been blamed for the slowdown but said he had no plans to roll back changes and would continue to implement new policies after November’s election. DeJoy said in the letter that USPS staff were “working with the Oversight committee to identify and provide materials requested during the hearing.”
Democrats had asked DeJoy to provide any analysis the USPS ran on the effect of the operational changes implemented since DeJoy took over the agency in June, which included eliminating extra mail delivery trips.
The Oversight Committee said that despite DeJoy and aides’ attempts to downplay the “extent and gravity” of the delays, “headlines from states across the nation have made clear that they are far worse than previously disclosed.”
Despite DeJoy’s vow to provide all relevant documents to the panel, “he has not produced a single additional document” since the hearing last Monday, the committee said.
The letter said that documents DeJoy has released have been “woefully inadequate” and failed to respond to Democrats’ concerns. The letter noted that despite repeated inquiries about USPS efforts to remove mail sorting machines from post offices, lawmakers did not learn of the plans until “internal Postal Service documents were leaked to the press.”
Maloney threatened to subpoena DeJoy during the hearing after grilling him over an internal assessment of USPS performance that showed a significant slowdown after DeJoy took over the agency. Maloney questioned why the committee learned about the assessment from a whistleblower when the panel had asked the USPS to turn over documents related to the agency’s performance.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., also questioned whether DeJoy would turn over his personal calendar. The congresswoman asked whether DeJoy, the former CEO of USPS contractor XPO Logistics, had met with any former colleagues during his tenure. She called for Maloney to issue a subpoena if the USPS did not turn over the calendar.
“The details of this calendar are extraordinarily important to the committee’s investigations,” she said. “If we cannot receive them voluntarily, I would recommend consideration of a subpoena for these details.”
Democrats, who passed a bill that would provide $25 billion in funding to aid the cash-strapped agency, have particularly been concerned with the slowdown’s potential effect on the delivery of mail ballots in the upcoming election. The USPS warned 46 states that it may not be able to deliver ballots in time for their deadlines, and President Trump has threatened to withhold funding from the agency in an evident effort to undermine timely mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic.
DeJoy, who had acknowledged that changes made during his tenure have resulted in “unintended consequences,” said he would temporarily pause policy changes until after the election to “avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail.”
But despite DeJoy’s claim, postal workers around the country say the policies already implemented have caused mail to pile up. DeJoy has said he has no plans to return the hundreds of mail sorting machines that have already been removed or reverse any other changes.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Keith Richardson, a longtime postal clerk who serves as the president of the American Postal Workers Union chapter in Chicago, told NBC News. “Some stations have so much mail backed up, it’s three times more than the volume you would see at Christmas. You can’t even walk down the aisles. It’s a wonder carriers can get in and out.”
“We have more packages in our facility right now than we do at the holidays,” added Ramona Chavez, the vice president of the American Postal Workers Union chapter in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “We have a mail handler group on Facebook and we’re all reporting the same thing. We’re all understaffed. Everybody’s just doing everything they possibly can. Delays are our new normal.”
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., the chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee on Government Operations, said the subpoena was intended to “restore confidence” in the postal system.
“Congress must assert itself. The public demands it,” he said. “Today’s action is a necessary step in our efforts to hold the Trump administration accountable for its deliberate sabotage of the Postal Service.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
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truthout--2020-09-01--Uprisings Against Evictions Are Sweeping the Country Today

Organizers and community members in at least 15 cities across the United States are set to mobilize Tuesday to “ storm the streets in front of the homes and offices of Republican leaders , occupy eviction courts , and hold teach-ins on tenant protections for a nationwide day of uprisings to protest the Senate ’ s failures to provide relief during the biggest eviction crisis the U.S. has ever faced.
” The website of the # ReliefIsDue campaign , spearheaded by the Center for Popular Democracy ( CPD ) , notes that “ our rent and mortgages are due , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skyrocketing , small businesses are going bankrupt , and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican senators continue to sit at home and do nothing.
” The Covid-19 pandemic has upended the national economy , with 57.3 million workers filing for unemployment over the past five months and millions of families struggling to meet basic needs .
On its campaign website , the CPD summarizes the reasons for Tuesday ’ s planned day of action : McConnell , backed by the Republican-controlled Senate , has failed to pass the House ’ s HEROES @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the support we need to stay afloat during this pandemic .
Republicans have refused to extend the $ 600 Covid-relief unemployment insurance , and some unemployed workers remain ineligible to receive any cash assistance .
Without rent cancellation or support , millions of people across the country are facing eviction and foreclosure .
People are unable to find testing sites , and are avoiding treatment because they can ’ t afford it .
Hospitalized Covid patients worry about their medical bills instead of their recovery .
Republicans are letting small businesses go bankrupt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hundreds of thousands of small businesses shuttered by Covid-19 are unable to keep employees on payroll and are at risk of closing for good without direct subsidies .
With rent due on the first of the month and temporary protections expiring for many tenants , an eviction crisis looks imminent .
According to the National Low-Income Housing Coalition , as many as 40 million people could be displaced from their homes in the next several months .
This scenario is precisely what organizers are attempting to prevent .
“ While our families are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders have turned their backs on us , ” Ashley Broshious from Charleston , South Carolina , said in a CPD statement .
“ We are coming together to fight against any evictions happening in our communities and demand that all rent be canceled until this crisis is over .
It ’ s time for us to hold Republicans accountable for all the suffering our communities have gone through because of their inaction .
Relief is due and the Senate must act now.
” Organizers in at least 15 states have coordinated mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participate in the eviction process , including banks , corporate landlords , marshals , sheriffs , and the courts .
Examples of specific protests include rallies and car caravans outside of housing courts ; a march to McConnell ’ s house in Washington D.C. ; teach-ins on tenant protections and eviction defenses ; and in Little Rock , Arkansas , tenants will serve eviction notices to U.S .
Senators .
Throughout the nation , demonstrators will “ call on eviction and housing courts across the country to remain closed and for evictions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the duration of the crisis and a recovery period.
” In addition , activists are calling on the Senate to : • Provide free testing and healthcare for all ; • Provide grants to small businesses to keep workers on payroll and small businesses alive ; and • Provide students all the support they need to learn from home until it ’ s safe for schools to reopen .
Sept. 1 will mark the fifth straight month of protests against evictions .
While thousands of people have taken part in protests , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are reaching a breaking point as the Trump administration and Republican-controlled Senate have failed to extend housing relief.
” A full list of local events can be found at reliefisdue.com .

As many as 40 million people could be displaced from their homes in the next several months.
Organizers and community members in at least 15 cities across the United States are set to mobilize Tuesday to “storm the streets in front of the homes and offices of Republican leaders, occupy eviction courts, and hold teach-ins on tenant protections for a nationwide day of uprisings to protest the Senate’s failures to provide relief during the biggest eviction crisis the U.S. has ever faced.”
The website of the #ReliefIsDue campaign, spearheaded by the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD), notes that “our rent and mortgages are due, our bills are due, homelessness is skyrocketing, small businesses are going bankrupt, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican senators continue to sit at home and do nothing.”
The Covid-19 pandemic has upended the national economy, with 57.3 million workers filing for unemployment over the past five months and millions of families struggling to meet basic needs.
On its campaign website, the CPD summarizes the reasons for Tuesday’s planned day of action:
McConnell, backed by the Republican-controlled Senate, has failed to pass the House’s HEROES Act or an alternative that would provide the support we need to stay afloat during this pandemic. Related Story News | Racial Justice NBA, WNBA, MLB Teams Strike to Protest Jacob Blake Police Shooting WNBA players wore shirts spelling out Blake's name, with holes in the back to symbolize how many times he was shot. Truthout Republicans have refused to extend the $600 Covid-relief unemployment insurance, and some unemployed workers remain ineligible to receive any cash assistance. Without rent cancellation or support, millions of people across the country are facing eviction and foreclosure. People are unable to find testing sites, and are avoiding treatment because they can’t afford it. Hospitalized Covid patients worry about their medical bills instead of their recovery. Republicans are letting small businesses go bankrupt while big companies receive PPP loans. Hundreds of thousands of small businesses shuttered by Covid-19 are unable to keep employees on payroll and are at risk of closing for good without direct subsidies.
With rent due on the first of the month and temporary protections expiring for many tenants, an eviction crisis looks imminent.
According to the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, as many as 40 million people could be displaced from their homes in the next several months. This scenario is precisely what organizers are attempting to prevent.
Rent is due tomorrow. My question is this: with 40 million facing the threat of eviction, how in the world does Sen. McConnell think they’re going to cobble up enough income to keep a roof over their heads during this crisis? It is time to cancel rent until this crisis is over. pic.twitter.com/7EXu2IsWDz — Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) August 31, 2020
“While our families are struggling to make ends meet, Republican leaders have turned their backs on us,” Ashley Broshious from Charleston, South Carolina, said in a CPD statement. “We are coming together to fight against any evictions happening in our communities and demand that all rent be canceled until this crisis is over. It’s time for us to hold Republicans accountable for all the suffering our communities have gone through because of their inaction. Relief is due and the Senate must act now.”
Organizers in at least 15 states have coordinated mass demonstrations targeting a variety of actors who participate in the eviction process, including banks, corporate landlords, marshals, sheriffs, and the courts.
Examples of specific protests include rallies and car caravans outside of housing courts; a march to McConnell’s house in Washington D.C.; teach-ins on tenant protections and eviction defenses; and in Little Rock, Arkansas, tenants will serve eviction notices to U.S. Senators.
Throughout the nation, demonstrators will “call on eviction and housing courts across the country to remain closed and for evictions, rent, and mortgages to be cancelled for the duration of the crisis and a recovery period.”
In addition, activists are calling on the Senate to:
Cancel rent, cancel mortgages and extend the eviction moratorium;
Extend the $600 unemployment insurance;
Provide cash assistance for all;
Provide free testing and healthcare for all;
Provide grants to small businesses to keep workers on payroll and small businesses alive; and
Provide students all the support they need to learn from home until it’s safe for schools to reopen.
Sept. 1 will mark the fifth straight month of protests against evictions. While thousands of people have taken part in protests, CPD says that “anger and frustration are reaching a breaking point as the Trump administration and Republican-controlled Senate have failed to extend housing relief.”
A full list of local events can be found at reliefisdue.com.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.