(RNS) — When immigrants detained at Georgia’s Stewart Detention Center, well known for overcrowding and harsh conditions, ask for prayer, volunteers from El Refugio don’t hesitate.
The small secular nonprofit was founded in 2010 in Lumpkin, Georgia, to serve those imprisoned in Stewart, the second-largest immigrant detention center in the United States. El Refugio sends volunteers weekly to spend an hour with detainees.
“It usually starts with someone saying, ‘Can you pray for me? Can I pray for you?’” said Amilcar Valencia, the organization’s executive director, who has been visiting detention facilities more than 14 years. “I think faith is what many people who are detained say sustains them. It’s what gives them a sense to continue to fight for their case and to support other people who may be struggling inside of the detention center.”
Though El Refugio operates with only four staff, its small team of volunteers each week drives hours in some cases to offer detainees accompaniment, help with legal navigation, emotional support and, at times, prayer. Volunteers sit across glass dividers, using phones to speak with detainees, much like regular visitors. “The guards know about us and what we do,” Valencia said. “Typically, we try to establish a relationship with the warden.”
More than 61,000 people are being held in American immigration detention — up from around 36,000 in August 2024, ami …