Over 500 women and children are being detained at the Karnes family detention facility near San Antonio, TX. Some have been detained for as long as 10 months.

These mothers and children have come to the US fleeing terrible violence and seeking safety, and instead are being locked up and re-traumatized. Allegations of sexual abuse by the guards as well as the denial of life-saving medical treatment for children abound in the detention center.

On Tuesday, March 31st 80 mothers began a hunger strike to protect their children from the pain and abuse of detention.

In their announcement about the hunger strike, the mothers state:

"During this Hunger Strike, no mother will work in the center of detention. We will not use any services until we have been heard and our freedom has been approved. This is only the beginning. We will not stop until we achieve our objectives.

This strike will continue until every one of us is freed."

ICE has the power to end their suffering immediately by releasing these mothers and their children.

Sign the petition below urging ICE Director Sarah Saldaña and ICE San Antonio Office Director Norma E. Lacey to use discretion and release the mothers and children detained at Karnes TODAY.

Full text of the mothers’ letter to ICE:

In the name of the mothers, residents of the Center for Detentions in Karnes City, we are writing this petition whereby we ask to be set free with our children. There are mothers here who have been locked in this place for as long as 10 months.

We also have mothers, that because they have had a previous deportation, are not granted a bond. They are granting a bond to their children, but they are not allowing an out to the mothers. This is the motive that we have taken the initiative of uniting ourselves and initiating a Hunger Strike, so that you can see and feel our desperation.

We have come to this country, with our children, seeking refugee status and we are being treated like delinquents. We are not delinquents nor do we pose any threat to this country.

During this Hunger Strike, no mother will work in the center of detention or send our children to school. We will not use any of the services provided by this place until we have been heard and our freedom has been approved.

All of the mothers demand that you give us a solution. Included amongst us are mothers whom this is the first time they have been in this country.

Asylum Officials have conducted Creditable Fear Interviews and determined them to be Positive. Even after having a result of positive, we are still detained because we are not able to pay the elevated bond and in some cases we are not given he opportunity to pay the bond.

You should know that this is only the beginning and we will not stop until we achieve our objectives. This strike will continue until every one of us is freed.