Michigan Man’s Detention Amid Health Crisis Sparks Legal Action
A Michigan resident facing deportation remains in detention despite his struggle with a life-threatening illness, prompting legal action from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan. Jose Contreras-Cervantes, who has been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, has been in custody since August, and his legal team argues that he has received inadequate medical care during this period.
The ACLU is advocating for a bond hearing to allow Contreras-Cervantes to reunite with his family and receive proper medical treatment while his immigration case proceeds. He is currently held in a facility approximately three hours from his family in the Detroit area. His attorney, Miriam Aukerman, highlights that Contreras-Cervantes has no prior criminal record, having been arrested during a routine traffic stop.
Contreras-Cervantes, a 33-year-old father of three, has lived in the United States for around two decades without legal status. His wife, Lupita Contreras, revealed the gravity of his health situation, stating, “The doctor said he has four to six years to live.”
The ongoing detention is linked to a policy from the Trump administration that opposes bond hearings for immigrants who entered the country illegally, regardless of their criminal history. This policy has faced legal challenges, including a recent case in Washington state, where it was successfully disputed.
“We don’t just lock people up and throw away the key,” Aukerman emphasized. “Judges decide who should be behind bars. That is true for citizens and noncitizens. … Immigration cases can take months or even years.”
Contreras-Cervantes’s health has been compromised during his detention, as he was transferred across state lines and went without necessary medication for 22 days. Currently, he receives an alternative treatment at a facility in Baldwin, Michigan, which is not what his doctors initially prescribed.
In response, the ACLU has petitioned the U.S. District Court in Detroit to mandate bond hearings for Contreras-Cervantes and seven others in similar situations. Aukerman described the administration’s tactics as attempts to “crush people’s spirits, make them give up” and agree to deportation, adding, “We’re saying no. They’re entitled to due process.”
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