In brief
Jose Contreras-Cervantes, a 33-year-old man diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, remains detained by federal authorities amidst health risks. After a recent traffic stop led to his arrest, he has since faced inconsistent healthcare and struggles to receive necessary medication while awaiting his deportation case resolution. The ACLU is intervening to advocate for a bond hearing to allow him to live with his family and receive proper medical care outside detention.
DETROIT (AP) — Federal authorities refuse to release a Michigan man in a pending deportation case, despite his life-threatening leukemia and the inconsistent health care he's received while in custody since August, his lawyer said Thursday.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is seeking a bond hearing for Jose Contreras-Cervantes, which could allow him to return to his Detroit-area family and doctors while his case winds through immigration court. He's currently being held at a detention center about three hours away.
Contreras-Cervantes, a 33-year-old married father of three, has been living in the U.S. for about 20 years, but not legally, and was arrested following an Aug. 5 traffic stop in Macomb County. He has no criminal record, according to ACLU lawyer Miriam Aukerman.
Diagnosed last year with chronic myeloid leukemia, a type of life-threatening cancer, Contreras-Cervantes is in dire need of continuous medical care. His wife, Lupita Contreras, shared a grim prognosis: The doctor said he has four to six years to live.
His detention stems from the Trump administration's policy that restricts bond hearings for immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally, regardless of their criminal records. This policy has been successfully challenged in various courts, including a recent case in Washington state this week.
“We don’t just lock people up and throw away the key,” Aukerman asserted. “Judges should decide who should be behind bars.”
ICE has yet to comment on Contreras-Cervantes's case. His medical treatment has been erratic; after being moved from Michigan to Ohio and back, he went 22 days without medication. Currently, he receives a substitute treatment that differs from what his healthcare providers recommended.
The ACLU filed a petition in federal court in Detroit, advocating for bond hearings for Contreras-Cervantes and others in similar situations. Aukerman claims the administration aims to crush people’s spirits to compel them into accepting deportation, emphasizing their right to due process.
