Thread: Illegals protest at jail ends

County: Protest at jail is over

Inmates sought more food, fixed TV
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/19/07
BY ALESHA WILLIAMS
FREEHOLD BUREAU

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FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — Monmouth County Jail officials said Sunday evening they had resolved Immigration and Customs Enforcement inmate concerns that led to a peaceful protest of the facility's services over the weekend.

According to Undersheriff Ted Freeman, spokesman for the facility, inmates began the "passive resistance" Sunday morning, saying they wanted more food, more Spanish-speaking officers to address their concerns and a broken television set fixed among other issues.

Participants in the inmate-led protest refused to eat or participate in any programs, Freeman said.

Denton Osborne, 36, of New York, a Guyana native, said his brother, Ray Osborne, 33, was among 132 inmates housed at the county jail for immigration violations who had complained about not getting enough food. He said his brother had lost about 20 pounds since arriving at the facility in January.

The elder Osborne said his younger brother, who awaits an immigration hearing in late March, also complained about a lack of medical attention at the facility.

"They (inmates) are just asking for the services they need to get, but (jail officials) are treating them like they don't care about them. They (inmates) do have rights also. They are human beings," Denton Osborne said.

Freeman said he was aware of one inmate who did not receive a dental appointment as planned. He said Sunday he did not know why the inmate was not given the medical attention, but added, "that was brought to the warden's attention and we had a dentist come in to handle it today."

He said a television in one of the wings that houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement inmates also was replaced.

"The warden (William J. Fraser) has been meeting with them (inmates) all day, and their concerns have been met," Freeman said. "The demonstration — or whatever you want to call it — is over."

Freeman said he did not expect food servings to change. He said ICE inmates, like all the 1,268 county jail inmates, receive three meals daily, consisting of 3,400 calories. The diet is recommended by a nutritionist with the jail's food-service company, Freeman said.

He said he wasn't certain whether inmates had been getting any food from the jail commissary since the resistance began Sunday morning.

He said he also did not know in what way the request for more Spanish-speaking officers would be resolved. But he said inmates were satisfied that jail officials are working to address at least some of their concerns.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement pays the jail $80 a day per inmate housed for the agency. Freeman said inmates' lengths of stay vary based upon hearing dates and locations and other factors.

Denton Osborne, who said he had not spoken to his brother since Saturday, said he was not convinced the issue is resolved.

"These folks (inmates) have been protesting and voicing their complaints quite a while now," Denton Osborne said. "The media has gotten involved so they (jail officials) are trying to save their necks today. They're trying to do a quick fix, and it's going to take more than that."

Alesha Williams: (732) 308-7756; AWilliams@app.com

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl ... 7703190336

It's jail, not a theme park. Get over it!

Dixie

Freeman said he did not expect food servings to change. He said ICE inmates, like all the 1,268 county jail inmates, receive three meals daily, consisting of 3,400 calories. The diet is recommended by a nutritionist with the jail's food-service company, Freeman said.

Good grief! That is alot more food than most people eat in a day.

Originally Posted by firecracker

Freeman said he did not expect food servings to change. He said ICE inmates, like all the 1,268 county jail inmates, receive three meals daily, consisting of 3,400 calories. The diet is recommended by a nutritionist with the jail's food-service company, Freeman said.

Good grief! That is alot more food than most people eat in a day.

Don't most food labels say that they're based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet? It sounds like the prisoners getting more food then needed to live a healthy life. In fact some diets are only 1,500 calories per day.

Who eats 3400 calories a day? That is obesity.

And I do not get dental help either. I can not afford.
So unless it is to pull a tooth...forget it. I know they
get tooth brushes in jail...so if they have dental
problems...it probably is from childhood and poor
dental care before jail. When 25 per cent of this county
does not have health care and we are paying for convicts
to get it....

There is a right to television for the incarcerated? What a country.

He said a television in one of the wings that houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement inmates also was replaced.

Oh my....well, that IS abuse if I ever saw it. Those poor poor souls... their civil and human rights to watch television have been violated. What IS this world coming to???

He said his brother had lost about 20 pounds since arriving at the facility in January.

Lose 20 lbs on 3400 a day ? I estimate he was 237lbs overweight . They really take the American taxpayers for granted .

I think their just trying to get sympathy. They are in jail because they were caught breaking US laws. Save it for the judge.

I think demanding is the only way you get what you want in this country, maybe we need to change stratagies.

Their probably eating better now than they ever have before, and did they have TV in Mexico??? There getting the American dream I guess!! oh my what will happen when they have to go home. I'll answer that, they will come back in a week!!!