Welcome, you reached the homepage of Advocate Visitors with Immigrants in Detention (AVID) in the Chihuahuan Desert. We are distinct from the UK migrant visitation program with a similar name. Centered in Las Cruces, with volunteers in El Paso and surrounding communities, AVID in the Chihuahuan Desert is a migrant rights advocacy and immigration detention visitation organization. Our activities entail:
- visiting individuals confined in immigration detention
- corresponding with detained migrants as pen pals
- advocating for immigrant’s rights, and
- working to end immigration detention.
As tens of thousands of individuals are confined in immigration detention every day, we are always seeking additional volunteers to help end the isolation of confinement. Please participate in our current action items.
Current Press Releases
- ICE Force-feeding Indian Asylum Seekers in El Paso And Deported Two Asylum Seekers from Krome (8/21/2019) - On Wednesday August 14, advocates were alarmed when they received notice from one of the men on hunger strike in El Paso Service Processing Center that medical staff had force-fed him. Both his immigration attorney and the attorney appointed to represent him in federal court were completely unaware such measures had been authorized. Federal Judge ... Read moreICE Force-feeding Indian Asylum Seekers in El Paso And Deported Two Asylum Seekers from Krome
- Indian Asylum Seekers Sustain Hunger Strikes at El Paso and Krome Facilities (8/15/2019) - Indian Asylum Seekers Sustain Hunger Strikes at El Paso and Krome Facilities Day 38 in El Paso … ICE seeking force-feeding orders this week | Day 31 in Krome…all three men are in the hospital Seven asylum seekers from India are on hunger strike at ICE detention facilities in two states. There are two groups ... Read moreIndian Asylum Seekers Sustain Hunger Strikes at El Paso and Krome Facilities
- Amidst a community crisis, asylum seeker on 26th Day of Hunger Strike rushed to ER (8/4/2019) - Attorney swarmed by ICE and denied access to her client An Indian asylum seeker on day 26 of his hunger strike for freedom was taken by ICE from the El Paso Service Processing Center to an El Paso hospital emergency room late Saturday afternoon. His whereabouts were unknown for several hours. Advocates finally located him ... Read moreAmidst a community crisis, asylum seeker on 26th Day of Hunger Strike rushed to ER
- Escalation of ICE Detention Hunger Strikes (8/2/2019) - 4 Indian Asylum Seekers Detained in El Paso on 25th Day of Hunger Strike ICE transfers 3 other Indian asylum seekers to Florida on 18th day of second hunger strike in preparation for force feeding EL PASO — Four Indian asylum seekers are entering their fourth week on hunger strike at the El Paso Service ... Read moreEscalation of ICE Detention Hunger Strikes
- 4 Indian Men in El Paso enter 4th Week of Hunger Strike 3 men transferred from Otero enter 3rd Week of Hunger Strike (7/31/2019) - ICE didn’t transfer 2 of them to Aurora, Colorado after all…they abruptly transferred them today to Miami, Florida more than twice as far away. ICE is unable to properly track people in their custody On Saturday July 27, a day after Senator Wyden (Oregon) met with a group of asylum seekers on hunger strike at ... Read more4 Indian Men in El Paso enter 4th Week of Hunger Strike 3 men transferred from Otero enter 3rd Week of Hunger Strike
- Two Indian Men on Day 12 of Hunger Strike at Otero County Processing Center Transferred to Aurora, Colorado (7/28/2019) - ICE yet again seeks to deport hunger strikers in poor health Around noon yesterday two of the men on hunger strike at the Otero County Processing Center (New Mexico) were transferred to the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado. On Friday afternoon, their attorney met with the Supervisory Deportation and Detention Officer to discuss ... Read moreTwo Indian Men on Day 12 of Hunger Strike at Otero County Processing Center Transferred to Aurora, Colorado
- Indian Men on Day 18 of Hunger Strike at El Paso Subjected to Involuntary Hydration (7/26/2019) - Yesterday afternoon, advocates learned that the asylum seeking men on hunger strike in the El Paso Service Processing Center (EPSPC) were issued an ultimatum to drink Boost, or they would be given involuntarily involuntary hydration (IV’s). The men refused to drink the Boost, and were shown court orders for the IV’s. In the words of ... Read moreIndian Men on Day 18 of Hunger Strike at El Paso Subjected to Involuntary Hydration
- Indian Man on Hunger Strike at Otero County Processing Center Deported (7/24/2019) - On the afternoon of July 23, 2019, one of five Indian men on hunger strike at the Otero County Processing Center (OCPC) was abruptly transferred to the El Paso Service Processing Center (EPSPC). This morning, a search on ICE’s online locator yielded no results, indicating he was no longer in ICE custody. Advocates feared this ... Read moreIndian Man on Hunger Strike at Otero County Processing Center Deported
- Indian Asylum Seekers on Hunger Strike at El Paso and Otero Threatened with Force Feeding and Retaliation (7/22/2019) - July 22, 2019 Indian asylum seekers are on prolonged hunger strike demanding their freedom. At El Paso four men 14 days without food told force-feeding orders being sought today. At Otero 4 men 7 days without food report severe verbal retaliation and threats. El Paso Hunger Strike Four asylum seekers from India who began a ... Read moreIndian Asylum Seekers on Hunger Strike at El Paso and Otero Threatened with Force Feeding and Retaliation
- Day 10 of hunger strike, men moved to problematic El Paso detention center, involuntary force feeding imminent (7/18/2019) - Last evening, July 17, the four asylum seekers on hunger strike at the Otero County Processing Center (OCPC) were moved to the El Paso Service Processing Center (EPSPC). This transfer is a common pattern with prolonged hunger strikes at OCPC, a facility that, in the last year, has seen more than 100 hunger strikes. At ... Read moreDay 10 of hunger strike, men moved to problematic El Paso detention center, involuntary force feeding imminent
