The American Civil Liberties Union is filing a class action lawsuit targeting Calhoun County. The federal lawsuit involves detainees being held for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The ACLU is demanding the release of about 130 detainees held at the Calhoun County Jail. The suit is also demanding that ICE detainees at three other Michigan County jails be released.

A group of protesters recently raised attention to the detainees at the Calhoun County jail, claiming they are not criminals and should be released because of the potential of their contracting the COVID-19 virus. The Calhoun County Public Health Department and county Sheriff Steve Hinkley so far report no overriding concerns about a serious virus infiltration of the jail in downtown Battle Creek.  An ACLU attorney says, “Civil immigration detention should not be a death sentence.” The group believes the potential of contracting the virus in jail is reason enough to release the ICE detainees.

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