Justice For Jose de Jesus (2016)

PuenteInk & Jesus Barraza
20 x 26 inches
1 – Color, Handprinted, Screenprint, Heavy Poster Paper, Printed in Phoenix, 2015

” On May 20, 2015, Jose de Jesus Deniz Sahagun was found in his cell at the Eloy Detention Center, presumably from choking on his own sock. He is the 14th person to die in the Eloy Detention Center since 2003, making it the deadliest immigrant detention facility in the country.

While Jose de Jesus’s death has been officially declared a suicide, there are numerous discrepancies in the story that ICE and CCA has given both to his family and the public. In addition, Eloy has reported five deaths due to asphyxia or suicide in the last decade, raising concerns about suspicious circumstances and lack of safety for those in custody. Advocates are calling on ICE to release security footage and evidence they have been withholding relevant to Jose de Jesus’s death.

Francisca Porchas, with Puente, says, “No matter what gets listed on the death certificate as the official cause of death, the blood of anyone who dies while in detention is on ICE’s hands. We are demanding freedom for our entire community currently behind bars and for full transparency regarding what happened to Jose de Jesus on ICE’s watch. We won’t stop until we have justice for Jose de Jesus and all people who have died in ICE custody.” #Repost @jojorenteria