Photo from Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network (SIREN)
As labor and hunger strikes have come to an end inside Kern County’s immigration detention centers, the personal stories of detainees and their families reveal the deep emotional wounds caused by these facilities.
Jaqueline Prieto, who was 12 years old when ICE took her father from their home and detained him for nearly a year, still carries the trauma of their separation. The pain she experienced mirrors that of many families affected by ICE detentions. Prieto vividly remembers the day ICE took her father away.
“Freedom, Libertad,” she recalled, reflecting on the year-long period during which her family’s lives were put on hold. “For that whole time, I felt the opposite of freedom. A piece of me was taken away, and it felt eternal.”
Her father, who spent nearly a year in detention, returned home wearing an ankle monitor. Even though he was physically present, the family remained haunted by frequent ICE check-ups.
“We went to a place that became a nightmare, ICE check-ups. It was always very scary and traumatizing going to that place,” Prieto explained. The repeated trips—around 12 in total—kept the family in constant fear and uncertainty.
The trauma Prieto and her family endured parallels the struggles of families currently affected by Kern County’s immigration detention centers, where ongoing protests have escalated into labor strikes and hunger strikes.
On July 1, 59 people relaunched a labor strike at the Golden State Annex and Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center, two ICE detention centers in Kern County. On July 11, 42 people detained at the Golden State Annex escalated their labor strike to a hunger strike. Several participants continued this hunger strike for 12 days and only resumed eating after GEO guards threatened to transfer them to Texas.
On August 1, 62 people across both facilities initiated a second hunger strike. Some participants refused to eat for over two weeks until authorities transferred two strikers to Washington, placed one in solitary confinement, and a COVID-19 outbreak put all their lives at risk.
Most recently, on September 22, detainees at the Golden State Annex and the Desert View Annex, totaling around 80 participants, started a third hunger strike. This strike lasted 10 days, and participants faced additional retaliation.
Prieto’s story reflects the anguish felt by many families separated by these detentions. “I am here for those dads who are taken away from their children. Who spend days, weeks, months, and even years without their presence, without a hug from their dad,” she said.
Former detainee Pedro Ayon spent over nine months in Kern County’s immigration detention centers and described the emotional toll and lasting impact of his time in confinement. Ayon, now 37, offered a firsthand glimpse into the struggles faced by those detained at facilities like Mesa Verde and Golden State Annex.
Ayon endured stress, mental anguish, and a continued battle for freedom, even after winning his case.
“I won my case at Golden State Annex after four and a half months, from April to September,” Ayon recalled. “I was excited to return to my family and community, but DHS detained me for an additional three months, even after the district attorney said they wouldn’t appeal my case.”
The constant uncertainty and separation from his loved ones took a toll on Ayon’s mental health. He shared that transferring between facilities, especially from Golden State Annex to Mesa Verde, was particularly stressful for him.
“At Golden State, I was able to see the street or highway through the barbed-wire fence. I used to enjoy the morning air, exercising in the yard, but when they transferred me, it felt like that glimpse of freedom was being taken away,” he said.
Beyond the walls of detention, Ayon had spent 16 years in the prison system, and the transition between incarceration and detention came with its own set of emotions.
“I had become a leader at Golden State Annex, and even though I was on my way to freedom, leaving behind the community I had formed there was heartbreaking,” he shared.
Reflecting on the painful memories of his detention, Ayon described the conflicting emotions he faced when he revisited the Golden State Annex after his release in December 2021.
“I was wearing a watch my girlfriend had sent me during my detention. It reminded me of those moments I waited for a glimpse of her during the COVID restrictions, even if it was just for a few minutes,” he recalled.
Ayon’s story encapsulates the complex emotions of pain, anger, and gratitude. He expressed how those feelings fueled his determination to advocate for those still detained, drawing strength from the injustices he experienced.
“It’s a commitment that I carry with me—to serve my community and to never forget the struggles that so many of my brothers and sisters inside continue to face,” said Ayon.
His story sheds light on the emotional and mental toll immigration detention imposes on individuals, affecting not only their lives but also the well-being of their families and communities.
On October 8, eight members of Congress sent a letter urging ICE and DHS to terminate their contracts with the two Kern County detention centers. Despite these efforts, the struggle for better conditions and humane treatment continues.
Both Ayon and Prieto’s stories serve as powerful reminders of the human cost behind these detentions. They shine a light on the ongoing battle for dignity, justice, and freedom for the countless families affected by immigration detention in Kern County.