Edward Marchesi More than 50 people, including Russian citizens, have announced their intention to go on hunger strike this week to protest what they call unbearable living conditions at the Folkston D. Ray ICE Processing Center in Georgia.
The center, operated by the private GEO Group under a $47 million contract with the Department of Homeland Security, was expanded last year to include a section of a former prison.
The prisoners' complaints and the complaint of September 14th
A document drafted on September 14 and signed by fourteen prisoners, two of them Russian, lists a series of shortcomings: inadequate medical and dental care , difficulty communicating with the outside world, dismissive attitudes from staff, and degrading living conditions . Among the most recurring problems are poor ventilation, mold on ceilings and mattresses, limited access to the outdoors, and the inability to sleep properly.
One petitioner stated that he had not received a dental cleaning in nearly two years of detention.
The document, originally written in Cyrillic, was submitted to several federal supervisory bodies. The wives of the two signatories confirmed that the complaint had been formally filed and described their concerns about food , lack of sleep, and the difficulty in obtaining essential medical care.
Inspection on October 6 and development of the protest
An inspection scheduled for October 6th resulted in slight improvements in food provision and some housing arrangements, according to inmates. However, the prison population remains skeptical about the permanence of these changes, fearing they are only temporary.
The hunger strike was supposed to begin on the day of the inspection, but some participants began refusing food as early as Monday. The stated goal is to "disrupt the spectacle" of the inspection, draw attention to the daily problems, and demonstrate the existence of serious complaints against the facility.
Staff pressure and threats
According to reports, staff warned potential strikers that they might be separated or isolated if the protest persisted. Management authorities—both ICE and GEO Group —refused to comment.
The broader context and other nationalities involved
In recent years, hundreds of Russians have come to the United States seeking political asylum; many of them ended up in ICE facilities under both the Biden and Trump administrations, often facing lengthy detentions while awaiting a decision on their cases. Some were forcibly deported to Russia.
The hunger strike is not limited to Russians alone: prisoners of various nationalities are taking part, although it has not been possible to establish how many Russians are taking part in the action.
The GEO Group claims on its website that the center provides basic services, including 24-hour medical care, dietitian-approved meals, and both in-person and virtual visits, and is accredited by the American Correctional Association . However, inmate testimonials paint a very different picture.