Vigil Held For 1-Year-Old Who Died After Being Held By ICE

ELIZABETH, NJ — Protesters held a tealight vigil outside the immigration detention center in Elizabeth for a Guatemalan toddler they had never met, who died just before her second birthday after being held in another ICE center.

Mariee Juarez was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with her mother at the CoreCivic immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas in March and became ill with one week.

"Mariee ran a 104 degree fever, lost 20 percent of her body weight, yet ICE initially treated her with only Vicks Vapor Rub, honey packets and ibuprofen," according to Make the Road New Jersey's petition to demand #JusticeforMariee.

After ICE released Mariee to her family in New Jersey, she was hospitalized and she spent six weeks in the ICU. She died in the hospital on Mother's Day.

ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The vigil held last week was to "demand justice for Mariee. No child should die as a result of our country's hateful immigration policies," Make the Road New Jersey stated.

A petition has been created to demand #JusticeforMariee and to call for an end to immigration detention and to demand ICE cut its contracts with CoreCivic now. See the petition here.

CoreCivic also operates the Elizabeth facility and is formerly known as Corrections Corporation of America, the largest prison contractor in the country.

Director of Public Affairs for CoreCivic, Amanda S. Gilchrist, released the following statement in regards to Mariee's death:

"First and foremost, we have deep sympathy for the family and the tragic loss of their child. We care about every person entrusted to us, especially vulnerable populations for which our partners rightfully have very high standards that we work hard to meet each day.

South Texas Family Residential Center (STFRC) is a facility built during the Obama Administration for the purpose of caring for immigrant families and providing them with a wide range of services while they await due process. That includes comprehensive student education center for Pre-K through 12th grade, monitored childcare, recreation areas and library, as well as residential complexes equipped with a 775-foot playroom.

It's important to note that CoreCivic does not provide medical or mental healthcare services or staffing at STFRC. The federal government's ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC) is solely responsible for contracting, staffing and oversight of any medical and mental health services provided at STFRC. CoreCivic staff at STFRC do not make medical or mental health treatment determinations and are trained to refer all detainee health or medical concerns, whether routine or acute, to facility medical staff for evaluation, triage and treatment."

CoreCivic also made headlines recently when "inhumane" conditions including maggot-infested food and a lack of clean underwear. (See Related: Maggots, Squalor For ICE Detainees At 'Inhumane' NJ Jails: Report)

(Images via Make the Road New Jersey: Vigil held outside the Elizabeth Immigration Detention Center)

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