Half-dozen women released from El Paso immigration facility after lawsuit over virus threat

EL PASO, Texas -- Six women who sued U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as Homeland Security, claiming they were being exposed to Covid-19 were released Wednesday to the care of volunteers with El Paso's Annunciation House.

The women range in age from 25 to 60, and one of them has already tested positive for the coronavirus. Medical volunteers are making sure the five other women are tested too.

“If they’re positive, they’re gonna stay with us the entire process of the coronavirus, until they are healthy, have recovered and can move on," said Ruben Garcia, the director of Annunciation House.

The women had all been held at ICE's El Paso Processing Center on Montana Avenue, where officials have confirmed eight detainees and one employee to date have been diagnosed with the virus.

In a lawsuit filed by the migrant women, which led to their release by order of a federal judge, they say they were not given access to any protection against Covid-19.

At the Annunciation House facility where they are now staying, the women are being isolated in rooms that are complete with N-95 masks, hand sanitizer and disinfectant.

“We have set up the space here at this hospitality center where its possible to isolate the six women, they’ll al be isolated,” said Ruben Garcia, the director of Annunciation House.

Health professionals will teach the women how to protect themselves, as well as well as the live-in volunteers who will tend to their needs.

“This is similar to the front-line health care workers. Our volunteers will be taking care of a woman that was Covid positive. We want them to be fully protected, as well as protecting the guests,” explained nurse practitioner and volunteer Michael Brennan.

Attorneys for the women said this is the first time ICE reached a court settlement to release detainees based on the coronavirus threat. However, attorneys and Garcia believe this settlement could lead to the release of other detainees who have the same fear of contracting Covid-19.

“If there was a significant release all at once, we’ve taken a dorm area that we have set up with social isolation so that everybody meets the CDC and world health organization guidelines,” explained Garcia.