Atlanta, Georgia, June 22, 2018 —

WHEN:
Tuesday June 26, 2018 at 10 a.m. (EDT)
RSVP to James Woo at jwoo@advancingjustice-atlanta.org or call 404-585-8446

WHERE:
Atlanta Immigration Court (180 Ted Turner Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30303)

WHO:
Van Huynh, Supervising Immigration Attorney, Advancing Justice-Atlanta
Suman Raghunathan, Executive Director, South Asian Americans Leading Together
Waqar Khawaja, South Asian Bar Association of Georgia

WHAT:
This week, Indian and other South Asian migrants at the Folkston Detention Center in Georgia started a second hunger strike to protest their prolonged detention and to call attention to ICE’s inhumane practice of refusing to release individuals. Immigrant rights organizations and advocacy groups will hold a press conference to request that the Atlanta ICE Field Office release individuals found to have credible asylum claims to their families and sponsors.

Migrants from India seeking protection from political persecution began their second hunger strike on June 17th, 2018, joining the nation-wide movement of resistance against indefinite detention and inhumane deportation. More than one hundred members of the Sikh, Hindu, and other South Asian communities in Folkston Detention Center have participated in the hunger strike over the past two months.

The Atlanta ICE Field Office continues to deny fair and equal opportunities for these migrants fleeing persecution in obtaining legal representation to assist in their cases and fails to unite them with their families, leading them to be detained for more than 6 months. The Folkston Detention Center is a for-profit entity, owned and operated by the GEO Corporation.

Contact:
James Woo, Communications and Outreach Associate
jwoo@advancingjustice-atlanta.org

Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta is the first and only legal advocacy nonprofit dedicated to the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in Georgia and the Southeast. We work in four major program areas: public policy; legal education and support; civic engagement; and defense of rights FOR Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and other underserved communities. You can read more about us at www.advancingjustice-atlanta.org

South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that fights for racial justice and advocates for the civil rights of all South Asians in the United States. Our ultimate vision is dignity and full inclusion for all. SAALT’s core strategies include conducting public policy analysis and advocacy; building partnerships with South Asian organizations and allies; mobilizing communities to take action; and developing leadership for social change. You can learn more about our work at www.saalt.org ​

The South Asian Bar Association of Georgia (SABA-GA), is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to encouraging and promoting the professional growth of South Asian lawyers and other members of the legal profession. Since its inception, SABA-Ga has represented and advocated the interests of South Asian lawyers and the legal profession and has broadened professional opportunities for South Asian lawyers. SABA-GA continues to provide a forum for professional networking, development, mentoring, and education for lawyers and students in the legal community. You can learn more about SABA-GA at www.sabaga.org/