I am writing to demand that you stop the deportation of Bakhodir Madjitov (A088-150-956) immediately. Bakhodir is a Muslim father of three U.S Citizen children and husband to a U.S. Citizen wife. He is loved deeply by his family and community and deserves to stay in this country. Bakhodir has been in immigration detention for nearly 3 years and has never held his youngest child in his arms.
I am alarmed to hear that ICE is planning to remove Bakhodir despite the fact that he has repeatedly tested positive for COVID-19, and has several cases pending where he could be granted relief. By transferring him to another facility, ICE is violating its own guidance on transfers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and is actively contributing to the ongoing national crisis. ICE has recognized Bakhodir as a class member of the Fraihat lawsuit that is at high risk of dying from COVID-19 because he suffers from a serious heart condition. It is absolutely egregious and murderous to deport Bakhodir.
Bakhodir and his family have suffered enough throughout the nearly 3 years of incarceration that he has been subjected to while he fights his case. Right now, Bakhodir is not only fighting to win his case but he is also fighting for his life. I join people across the country in demanding that you stop Bakhodir’s deportation and immediately release him to his family.
Why is this important?
Bakhodir is Connecticut resident, and a Muslim father of three U.S Citizen children and husband to a U.S. Citizen wife. He is loved deeply by his family and community and deserves to stay in this country. Bakhodir has been in immigration detention for nearly 3 years after ICE violently arrested him in December 2017, when his wife was 39 weeks pregnant. Her has never held his youngest son in his arms.
Bakhodir has been caged and tortured by the U.S. Government for the last three years and now ICE is trying to imminently deport him--despite the fact that he has several cases pending, and is sick after contracting COVID-19 at the Etowah County Jail in Alabama. He suffers from a serious heart condition that puts him in grave danger of dying from COVID-19 complications.
On Thursday, September 17th, 2020, the staff at Etowah County Jail and DHS secretly moved Bakhodir to LaSalle Processing Center in Jena, Louisiana, overnight against all public health protocols, and ICE’s own stated policies around transfers and COVID-19. The last two times that Bakhodir was moved to the LaSalle facility, ICE was trying to forcibly remove him to Uzbekistan.
Tell New Orleans ICE Field Director Diane Witte and Supervisor Bryan Pittman to use their discretion and stop Bakhodir’s deportation NOW. It is cruel, inhumane, and dangerous to deport migrants that have COVID-19.
