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struggle4progress

(123,806 posts) Sun Jul 13, 2025, 01:43 PM Jul 13

Deaf Mongolian immigrant held by ICE in California for 4 months with no access to interpreter

A deaf Mongolian man has spent more than four months in a Southern California immigrant detention center without the opportunity to communicate with anyone who understands Mongolian Sign Language, according to his civil rights attorney.

“He’s basically been in solitary confinement because he has not had one person actually speak to him in Mongolian Sign Language for the entirety of the time that he’s been in proceedings and detained,” said his attorney, Alegría De La Cruz, director of litigation for the Disability Rights Legal Center.

U.S. Southern District of California Judge Dana Sabraw this week ordered officials at the Otay Mesa Detention Center to provide him with a Mongolian Sign Language interpreter.

The judge also directed immigration authorities to redo two assessments that could affect his request for asylum. One would examine his mental health, and the other would evaluate whether he has a credible fear for his safety if he returns to his country ...

https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/07/ice-detention-deaf-asylum-seeker/

4 replies

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Deaf Mongolian immigrant held by ICE in California for 4 months with no access to interpreter (Original Post) struggle4progress Jul 13 OP

They don't know what to do for him so they put him in detention? Going on 4 months, now? Deuxcents Jul 13 #1

That would be too humane Bayard Jul 13 #2

I know I'm not the smartest but.... KentuckyWoman Jul 13 #3

American Gestapo working, screw that constitution. republianmushroom Jul 13 #4

Deuxcents

(23,107 posts)

1. They don't know what to do for him so they put him in detention? Going on 4 months, now?

Reply to struggle4progress (Original post)

Sun Jul 13, 2025, 01:54 PM

Jul 13

Wouldn’t a better option be to let him be with family, especially since he has no criminal record?

Bayard

(26,042 posts)

2. That would be too humane

Reply to Deuxcents (Reply #1)

Sun Jul 13, 2025, 01:57 PM

Jul 13

KentuckyWoman

(7,135 posts)

3. I know I'm not the smartest but....

Reply to struggle4progress (Original post)

Sun Jul 13, 2025, 02:01 PM

Jul 13

Usually the deaf also read and write. Why couldn't they find a Mongolian interpreter that can pass the notepad back and forth? Keeping someone for 4 month's because of the sign language seems more than a little bit lame. Edit to add, at the very least his family would certainly be able to talk to him... I mean... let him go home to wait for a court date that includes the right interpreter.....

Not to mention, professional interpreters can generally pick up other languages a lot faster than 4 months. If this person is staying in the US, at the very least someone should have been brought in to start teaching ASL to this man.

republianmushroom

(20,703 posts)

4. American Gestapo working, screw that constitution.

Reply to struggle4progress (Original post)

Sun Jul 13, 2025, 03:30 PM

Jul 13

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