"I had never been arrested before in my life. It was terrible for me, but in the end, I accepted everything because I've lived through what no one would ever want to live through. For my family's sake, I said: I want them to be safe."
"The father was kept at the Federal Plaza for two days on the 10th floor, a place deemed by U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman and other immigration advocates as wholly inadequate to keep detainees. Galvez said he had no access to a shower or a bed—something that was exposed over the summer of 2025 in a leaked video."
"My heart exploded with sadness. I was quite sad, Galvez said, sharing that his thoughts drifted to his family. They depend on him for financial security and safety."
German Galvez, a 47-year-old asylum seeker from Ecuador, was detained at 26 Federal Plaza in January 2026 after reporting for an ICE check-in, becoming the first person detained there that year. He spent four days in detention, including two days on the 10th floor where conditions were inadequate—lacking showers, beds, and private sleeping quarters. Released with an ankle monitor, Galvez now struggles to maintain financial security for his family, including his seven-year-old son Sergio. He sought legal counsel at Saint Peter's Church in Midtown while grappling with the emotional toll of his situation and concerns for his family's wellbeing.
#asylum-seeker-detention #immigration-enforcement #family-hardship #detention-center-conditions #legal-advocacy
Read at www.amny.com
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