Marvin Ventura Reyes

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021

Marvin, from El Salvador, currently at Krome Service Processing Center in Miami, began his hunger strike on March 7th. He migrated to the US in 1998 after witnessing the violent killings of his father and brother. He was detained by ICE in November 2019 and first held at Essex County Jail before being transferred to Bergen County Jail, where he went on his first hunger strike. In retaliation, he was transferred to Krome in Miami, where he is on his second hunger strike. As of April 5th, he is hospitalized.

February 2021 I am an immigrant from El Salvador. I am currently detained at Krome Detention Center in Miami, Florida. I emigrated from my country for the first time in 1998, a few days after a man with cruel intentions scarred my life forever when he killed my father and my brother. I was present and witnessed their deaths. I was able to escape death because I fled to this country, in which I feel safe. So, with deep pain and sadness, I was forced to leave El Salvador, in order to protect my life. My two sisters live in New Jersey and my daughter lives in Dallas, Texas.

I thought I would be able to move on and forget everything by taking refuge in vices.

Evidently, what I gained from that was to worsen my life, because it only brought negative consequences, which are now reflected in all aspects of my life. I took on the habit of drinking to forget, and to feel for a moment that I could move on.

On November 27th, 2019, I was transferred to Essex County, in Newark. I was pleading for an opportunity to remain in the country through asylum. In the midst of my suffering and the tragedy that I lived through, I tested positive for antibodies of COVID19 and they kept me quarantined for 15 days. They didn't care for me at all during that time. They didn’t care knowing I have high blood pressure and other symptoms, and I was at risk of dying in lockdown. I haven't received the treatment that I deserve.

After some days, I was transferred to Bergen County Jail, to a dirty jail cell with critters and mice, the food was terrible, the sheriffs were racist, and we were kept inside 22 hours a day. They only gave us two hours per day to go [outside].

At one point I started a hunger strike that lasted 26 days. Even during those 26 days of only drinking water and having fainted twice, ICE still didn't care. Instead, ICE threatened to take me to the hospital to force feed me.

I am not an animal to be treated like this, I am a human being and I have the right to have another chance.

On December 11th, 2020, I was transferred here to Miami, Florida in retaliation.

I am still under ICE custody, waiting to get parole so I can continue fighting my case from outside. And I'm thankful that my testimony will be heard.

March 17, 2021 - 11 days on hunger strike Right now, I am detained at the Krome Detention Center in Miami. At this moment, I am in a hunger strike. I began on March 7th and I continue waiting for my conditional freedom. I have not eaten anything in 11 days, I have only drank water. Nothing else. I am not drinking any other liquid, not juice or milk. I have not received any response from ICE.