Our friend Flavio Andrade Prado Junior has been detained for over three full years and has been transferred to four different facilities for continuing to advocate for his rights. Mr. Andrade Prado Jr is a dedicated husband, father of 2 young children, and a supported member of his community. He is a civil detainee, having lived peacefully in the U.S. for over 13 years. Mr. Andrade Prado’s detention has resulted in extreme hardship on his family and has directly threatened his mental and physical health as an immunocompromised person. We demand his release for his safety and wellbeing so he can continue to fight his immigration case at home!

Mr. Andrade Prado was originally detained in the Bristol County House of Corrections in April 2019, surviving the assault there by Sheriff Hodgson and living through the inhumane conditions that caused the Department of Homeland Security to end their contract with Bristol County. Mr. Andrade Prado was violently injured at the hands for Bristol officials and hospitalized. He sustained long-term injuries he suffers from even today. Upon his return from the hospital, Mr Andrade Prado was condemned to solitary confinement for close to 3 months, interrogated without the presence of his attorney and not given a fair hearing nor explanation for his solitary confinement. From there he was transferred to Franklin County and months later to Plymouth County Correctional Facility (PCCF).

While detained at PCCF, Mr. Andrade Prado was the victim of abhorrent conditions and ongoing discrimination and religious persecution. When advocating for his rights as a practicing Muslim, he was sent to solitary confinement for many months before being transferred to Strafford County Jail in New Hampshire.

Mr. Andrade Prado’s experiences at Bristol and PCCF were not unique, as he continues to be the victim of ongoing injustices while at Strafford. Most recently, during Ramadan he was pressured by the facility to sign a letter crafted by Strafford County officials requesting that Mr. Andrade Prado recuse himself from practicing Islam, or he would be sent to solitary confinement. The purpose of this letter was to make it easier for the prison food service so they did not have to alter their meal prep or service during Ramadan. It is important to keep in mind that during Ramadan, prisoners must be fed before dawn and after sunset, which requires the prison food service to make an extra effort for Muslim prisoners or detainees. Mr. Andrade Prado was not given food on many occasions before dawn or after sunset. Since that time halal food service has either provided insufficient portion size or uncooked/rotten food. Strafford County’s disregard for his religious practice is unacceptable. Currently Mr. Andrade Prado is being held in restrictive confinement for up to 22 hours a day.

ICE needs to stop responding to assaults and violations of human rights by moving those who speak out. Mr. Flavio Andrade Prado Jr has strong community ties and support and is an active member of the Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network (BIJAN). He has an immigration lawyer and is fighting hard to win his immigration case and stay here with his family. There is no need to keep him caged and subject to these abuses as a civil detainee. Please begin the process to release Flavio Andrade Prado immediately.