OJPC calls on ICE to end use of ankle monitors

The Ohio Justice and Policy Center (OJPC) has called on ICE to stop using ankle monitors, especially on our Haitian neighbors living in Springfield and Clark County.

“This is a humanitarian issue. Our Haitian neighbors came here lawfully through Temporary Protected Status, a legal protection Congress created for people fleeing unsafe conditions in their home countries. Ankle shackling is not a legitimate response to their presence here. These devices have led to people collapsing to the ground crying and going to the emergency room after becoming sick with fear. Tragically, ankle monitors were a factor in the suicide of Pierre Damas Bel. We are calling on ICE to stop using ankle monitors now," said Gabe Davis, Chief Executive Officer for the Ohio Justice & Policy Center.

"The harms of ankle shackling are well documented. It can cause physical pain, deepen depression and anxiety, and impose financial hardship on some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. The increased criminalization of immigration enforcement is hurting Ohio," said Michaela Burriss, Policy Director for the Ohio Justice & Policy Center.

The Ohio Justice and Policy Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit law firm with offices in Cincinnati. Cleveland, and Columbus Ohio. We fight for equal justice and fair treatment in all stages of incarceration, because every person deserves dignity after their conviction and freedom after their sentence.

To learn more about our work and our ongoing initiatives, visit https://ohiojpc.org/.