In recent months the National Immigrant Justice Center has had the great fortune to see several detained clients who have fought for their freedom for years be released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Most of these men and woman are asylum seekers whose detention was fully unnecessary in the first place. Many of them faced extreme hardship during their time in detention: separation from their families, untreated medical problems, poor treatment by jail staff, and constant fear they would be forced to return to countries where they would be in danger.

After they were released, several NIJC clients expressed a desire to talk about their experiences so that people can better understand the reality of the U.S. immigrant detention system.

Here is the first interview, with a mother from Cameroon whose nursing baby was taken from her when she arrived at the airport and asked for asylum: