Problems, Protests Continue at Etowah County Detention Center
Protesters gathered again last weekend at the Etowah County Detention Center, one of the nation’s most notorious holding pens. The center houses immigration detainees awaiting possible deportation. It’s been under fire in recent years for poor conditions and treatment of prisoners, and some even engaged in a hunger strike last year.
“The food is garbage,” one former Etowah detainee told WELD. “The portions are so small that you’re hungry 30 minutes after you eat…The inside looks proper, but we get locked down in cells for 16 hours a day. There is no sunshine in that place. There is no fresh air. Medically speaking, that can harm human beings. That kind of long-term detention will affect anyone. We didn’t know when we would be getting out. I’ve seen grown men cry. These aren’t criminals and they are being punished as slaves.”
Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD, joins us for more on how current and former detainees describe conditions inside the facility.
Workers at Alabama’s Mercedes plants vote against joining a union
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Taylor Hunnicutt is championing her home state with debut album ‘Alabama Sound’
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Researchers look into community health impact of wood pellet production in rural Mississippi
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Alabama coal company sued for a home explosion is delinquent on dozens of penalties
Crimson Oak Grove Resources has been cited for 204 safety violations since the March 8 blast, many involving “significant and substantial” safety violations.
The United Auto Workers faces a key test in the South with upcoming vote at Alabama Mercedes plant
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