Case 2:18-cv-00928-MJP Document 57 Filed 09/20/18 Page 1 of 5 The Honorable Marsha J. Pechman 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON AT SEATTLE 12 13 14 YOLANY PADILLA, et al., 15 16 17 18 Plaintiffs, Case No. 18-cv-0928 MJP v. U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, et al., DECLARATION OF BLANCA ORANTES Defendants. 19 20 21 22 23 24 I, Blanca Orantes, hereby declare: 1. My name is Blanca Orantes. I entered the U.S. on May 21, 2018, with my 8-year- old son, A. We immediately walked to the immigration office to request asylum. 25 2. I was transported by immigration officers to a detention facility in Texas. They 26 27 led me into the holding center known as “the hielera,” or “freezer,” and took my son to another 28 part of the facility. An officer later brought my son back so I could say goodbye to him because ORANTES DECL. - 1 Case No. 2:18-cv-0928-MJP NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT 615 Second Avenue, Suite 400 Seattle, WA 98104 Telephone (206) 957- 8611 Case 2:18-cv-00928-MJP Document 57 Filed 09/20/18 Page 2 of 5 1 2 3 4 we were being separated. My son began to cry and plead for me not to leave him. Then they took him away from me. 3. The conditions in the hielera were horrific. All they gave us to eat was a sandwich. It was freezing, and there were so many children. In the corners were mothers with 5 babies who were crying. It was evil. 6 7 4. After this, I was transported to another holding location which was even worse. 8 There were so many people being held there, it was very unsanitary. There was never toilet paper 9 in the bathrooms. I couldn’t bathe or brush my teeth for days. Then, I was transferred to another 10 detention center in Texas. We were given three meals a day and we could go out on the patio for 11 half an hour a day. We weren’t so tightly enclosed anymore, each to her own cell. But we were 12 13 14 15 still treated badly by the officers there. 5. On May 24, 2018, I was handcuffed and taken to court where I was sentenced to time served for improper entry. But then I was returned to my cell with no explanation of what 16 would happen next. 17 18 6. About nine days after this, I was transported to a federal detention center in 19 Washington. I felt devastated and confused because I didn’t know what had happened to my son, 20 nor what would happen to me. Why was I there? What was happening with my case? Nobody 21 explained anything to me. I found out this federal detention center was mostly for men who had 22 committed grave criminal offenses, and I did not want to be there. 23 24 7. Around June 9, 2018, an officer handed me a slip of paper which said where my 25 son was being held in detention. I felt so awful and so strange because I didn’t have any idea 26 what to do in this moment for my son. 27 28 ORANTES DECL. - 2 Case No. 2:18-cv-0928-MJP NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT 615 Second Avenue, Suite 400 Seattle, WA 98104 Telephone (206) 957- 8611 Case 2:18-cv-00928-MJP Document 57 Filed 09/20/18 Page 3 of 5 1 2 3 4 8. An attorney from Northwest Immigrant Rights Project began helping me, but he said we had to wait for the government to set me up for an interview with an asylum officer. 9. There were times I thought about giving up my asylum case, being detained for weeks, apart from my son. When I didn’t know where he was, I would have done anything to get 5 out of prison and find him. It was all the more frustrating that no one had given me an 6 7 8 9 10 explanation of how much longer I would have to wait to apply for asylum, to see my son, or to request to be released from detention. 10. On June 20, 2018, I was transferred to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington. It felt frustrating to be transferred so many times and never told why. It 11 felt like there was no hope. By this time, I had been detained for nearly a month. The conditions 12 13 in Tacoma were worse than conditions at the federal detention center. The food in Tacoma was 14 very poor, and the deportation officers treated us poorly and were very strict with us. After all 15 this time, we were still incarcerated – it felt dehumanizing. It’s not good for people to be in jail 16 for so long. 17 18 11. On June 27, 2018, I was finally interviewed by an asylum officer. I had already 19 been in the US for over one month, and I had been separated from my son for that long as well. 20 During the interview, I felt distressed because they made me recall very difficult things, but I 21 was able to explain to the asylum officer why I was afraid to return. 22 12. After the interview, I was notified that the asylum officer found that my fear was 23 24 25 26 27 credible, and that I could now apply for asylum with an immigration judge and that I could also ask for a bond hearing, to request to be released. 13. My attorney requested a bond hearing for me, but I was not scheduled for a hearing until three weeks after my credible fear interview. Being detained became harder by the 28 ORANTES DECL. - 3 Case No. 2:18-cv-0928-MJP NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT 615 Second Avenue, Suite 400 Seattle, WA 98104 Telephone (206) 957- 8611 Case 2:18-cv-00928-MJP Document 57 Filed 09/20/18 Page 4 of 5 1 day. I cried myself to sleep nearly every night, waiting for a chance to show the immigration 2 judge that I should be released from detention. Honestly, I considered giving up my case. What 3 else is a mother supposed to do? I just wanted to get out of detention and find my son. 4 14. My bond hearing was held at the detention center on July 16, 2018. I could not 5 fully understand what happened. The judge asked a series of questions, but then gave my 6 7 attorney a paper that said I could not be released. My heart sank. I had been so hopeful because I 8 had seen other women who were locked up with me get bonds and be released. I thought that 9 finally I would be released and be able to see my son. My attorney tried to explain that we could 10 appeal and ask for another bond hearing, but I could only cry. 11 15. I did not think it was possible to feel even more desperate than I had when they 12 13 first took my son away from me—but I felt like all my hopes were shattered. I could not 14 understand why many other asylum seekers like me had been released, yet I was found to be a 15 flight risk. Because the judge denied bond, I remained in detention. I didn’t know whether I 16 would have the will or strength to continue fighting my case. I was terrified to get sent back, but 17 18 being in detention was a very painful, unbearable experience, especially since my family could 19 not visit me. I had already been locked up for almost two months. Now it seemed like I would be 20 locked up for many more. 21 16. On July 24, 2018, I was transferred to a detention facility in Texas. I stayed there 22 for four or five days before they brought me my son and we were released. I had seen articles 23 24 about the children separated from their parents by immigration, and the children were not the 25 same when they were reunited. I was so afraid this would happen with my son. When he saw me 26 again for the first time, he started to cry, and I was afraid he no longer remembered me, or that 27 he thought I had abandoned him. 28 ORANTES DECL. - 4 Case No. 2:18-cv-0928-MJP NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT 615 Second Avenue, Suite 400 Seattle, WA 98104 Telephone (206) 957- 8611 '4 'd Case Document 57 Filed 09/20/18 Page 5 0f 5 of being in detention. I suffered greatly I tinn't even want It; remember the I?aclin ntion, I felt handles-m. last. and during the sixty-?at" days I was locked up. Each day i" dc?: mining to the United States to seek asylum. I felt that was being punished for I: and I felt I was being treated like a criminal. [suffered much there?. emotionally. They dnn?t give. 3m? any hope. and "0 one aver giws an uxphmatimt makes the stituation t'?'i'tl?Ht: . I, Blanca (Nantes. declare under penalty oi?pcrjury Of- the law? ofthe State ?f M?wland ?m1 the I ?nitcd States that the in mm and contact In [11? best ot'my krIOWchge mid heli?r. Executed in IQ MD on September 18. 2013- ORANTES u. . Case No. 218-er i 14; 1- i