In this episode of "Through the Labyrinth," an attorney and several family members of detainees held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE, talk to us about their experiences inside B-18, the agency’s main processing center in Southern California. 

Listeners get to hear firsthand accounts from family members both before and after visitation, providing an intimate look into the distress, burdens, and trauma shouldered by those trying to reunite with their loved ones and ensure their safety.

Guest Information

• Matthew Toyama: Lead Attorney for the Removal Defense Team at the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles
• Maribel Ruiz: Wife of ICE detainee
• Karla Ranck: Cousin of Maribel Ruiz

Fundraisers for Detained Family Members

• GoFundMe for Husband of Maribel Ruiz

Episode Outline

1. The History and Conditions of B-18
2. Increased Detentions Under the Second Trump Administration
3. The Detainee Transfer Process
4. Waiting for Family Visitation Hours
5. A 15-Minute Reunion

Resources for Undocumented Immigrants and Mixed-Status Families in LA

• CHIRLA's Immigrant Assistance Line: Call (888)624-4752
• Know Your Rights Cards (English)
• Las Tarjetas de Conoce Tus Derechos (Spanish)
• Al Otro Lado: Legal and Humanitarian Support
• Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance: Outreach and Education
• Black Alliance for Just Immigration: Outreach and Education
• Esparanza Immigrant Rights Project: Community Programs and Direct Legal Representation

Host & Show Info

"Through the Labyrinth" is hosted by investigative journalist Morgan Keith. She has lived in LA for six years and worked at several media outlets, including the Beverly Press, Daily Journal, Southern California Public Radio, and Business Insider. Morgan now works as a professor and adviser for student media publications at Pierce College. She is also a co-founder of The Southlander.

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“Through the Labyrinth” is a podcast that explores the government systems and legal processes faced by those attempting locate and reunite with family members who have been detained by Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE). We’ll speak with those waiting outside of detention centers for news of their family members, children tracking down their parents in ICE’s online detainee locator system, and lawyers searching for their clients who have been moved around the country without warning. It's a miniseries that exposes the cruel nature of American immigration policy and carefully details the trauma of family separation.

Visit thesouthlander.com to subscribe to our newsletter, follow us on social media, and read our previous reporting.