I got woke up by a text this morning at 7:00. That is way too early to text me people! I stayed in bed after I finished the business the text required but not sure I got more rest.
I went to the post office and checked the mailbox for Love in Action. Only junk mail in it. Did another errand and came back home.
This afternoon I met with the Captain and two other staff members at the Detention Center. I needed to pay our share of the piece of exercise equipment that is long overdue. The piece of equipment has shipped but I am not going to hold my breath as to when it will be here. I’m sure after it arrives, it will take them some time to get it together. They are going to host a ribbon cutting ceremony for it once it is here and all set up.
While there we also talked about the Go Bag project. I was given a list of things that I cannot put in the bags and some ideas of things that I can. We talked about how the checking in of the bags for the Detainee will work and what information they need to make that go faster. Found out that those held by the US Marshall, even if they are ICE Detainees, will not be eligible to receive a bag. I will have to check with the Center every time I get a request for a bag, to make sure the person requesting a Go Bag is not being held by the US Marshall Service. I also have to double check to make sure the family didn’t deliver a bag already for them. They won’t be allowed to take a bag from their family and a Go Bag from Love in Action.
Got some good news from them. I have attempted to offer the Detainees a phone card since I started the program. The Center has figured out a way to make that happen. For our Christmas treat, Love in Action is going to gift each Detainee a $10 phone card so they can call their family. For Christmas. The Center is averaging 170 Detainees right now so this little project will cost $1,700. I think I just broke my budget. We will figure out a way to make this happen, somehow, someway!
We are providing a small bag of candy as our treat for Halloween and a piece of cheesecake for the Thanksgiving dinner that the Center provides. Neither of those are too expensive. I will have to come up with something not too expensive for January but I will worry about that later.
Found out that it had taken the Captain over three hours to find out where the documents were for the transport I did last week. She did put a new procedure in place so that the Department of Homeland Security will notify the Center where the documents are being held at the time of the Detainee’s release. We shall see if that actually happens. I appreciate the Captain’s effort to attempt to put that into place.
I heard from Helen, the transport from last week. She had her hearing in Maryland and unfortunately all the court did was continue her case. Because no decision was reached the court did not return her work permit to her. She will have another hearing in November in Maryland. She won’t be able to work between now and then. Dang, they make it hard for our neighbors and friends to support themselves.
Took a short nap this afternoon. I have felt really tired this week for some reason. Grateful I can rest when my body needs it.
Tomorrow I am taking Roxy to the Vet at 10:00 so her stitches can be removed. I have a few errands to do in Emporia but I will have to make two trips to town to do them as I can’t do them with Roxy with me.
Friday I have a reception and dinner to go to and then I am going to the football game in Emporia to watch Ellexia cheer. Saturday I have an event to go to in the afternoon. Monday I am doing a Zoom chat with someone in the afternoon. After that the week is full of empty space – at least right now. My empty space has a way of filling up in the most unexpected ways lately.
I made the mistake of reading the comments from people about the ICE raids that are happening in western KS this week. It is sad to see the number of people cheering on ICE. I wonder if they will connect the dots when their meat prices are higher when the processing plants don’t have the labor to make their products or when farms go bankrupt due to lack of labor.
I agree with picking up criminals. Unfortunately, from what I have learned, the majority of people they are picking up are in violation of paperwork dates due to the backlog of our immigration court system. Most have done everything possible to follow the law of the land but our government keeps changing the rules and doesn’t give them timely court dates. It is hard to be “legal” when the rules keep changing and dates are not available.
I bet it will only be a matter of time before ICE is in Emporia and picks up people there. It breaks my heart to see families torn apart. The poverty levels will increase as the main wage earner of the family is disappeared. Children will be left behind without a parent or possibly both parents.
I never dreamed I would live through a time like this. We are reliving the Holocaust all over again. When this is over, I want to say I stood on the side of love.
Grateful for the partnership with the Center as we work together to help the Detainees, grateful we get to gift the Detainees a phone card, and grateful to stand on the side of love in these trying times.