The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) jails in Arizona is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice because the police officers working in those jails allegedly abuse 287(g), a section of immigration law enabling the federal government to deputize local police officers to enforce immigration law. However, the police officers are allegedly abusing their power and abuse the immigrant women detainees.

Respect/Respet, a local organisation that documents human and civil rights abuses, received handwritten letters from imprisoned immigrant women detailing grueling testimonials of physical mistreatment and abuse. For instance, one woman got her arm broken by one of the guards, and another woman got her jaw broken by a sheriff deputy. One of the letters implored for help saying, “Please help us, we’re in a tunnel without end, treated like dogs.â€