- wee Congress of the United States: “we of Kyeseeute ‘ravi es September 24,2021 President Joseph R Biden Meetick B. Garland The White Hotxe Adtorney General 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW US. Deparment of Justice Washington, DC. 20800 980 Pennsylvania Ave. NW ‘Washington, DC 20530-C001 Michuel Carvajal Diretor Kristen Crk Federal Bureau of Prisons Asstt Attorney General 820 Fire St, NW Civil Rights Divison ‘Washington, DC, 20534 US. Department of Justice 9 Pennsylvania Ave, NW ‘Washington, DC 20530-C001 ‘Dear President Biden, Attrney Geneval Garand, Director Carvajal, and Assistant Atomey General Clarke ‘We writ lv exprom our emccm that conditions at New York City's Rikers Island compen is Insvmiarian crits nd poses a tvea to the cud sights ofthe prion’ detaisecs. As you know, Rikers history of abuse and regligesce toward its detinees led the New Yark City Council in 2019 to vole to close the complex by 2(27 ~ a decsion we applaud. Unil then, we believe the Administration should provice immediate federal ntevestion to stabilize © situation th has resulted in I deaths aveady this yea! and which eotinues to Hecate the well-being ofboth ja aff ant detainees. We ae also calling on the Deportment of lstice to open a civil rights ‘investigation int the eaeitions of eonftement of detances held i the Rikers Islnd comple. Riker sland holds nearly 6,000 detiness an is staffed by thousand of corrections officers and civilian al, ler” wotarioun cep Coronavirus pandemic Current conditions insile the eomplex have been described by local icials who visite the facilities! as “squalor” with “th al over the floors” ar “broken” cell oors. na leter to the New York Cy Council, the ChieF Medical Officer for the City’s Correctional Heals Serves Jexcribed oversrowdling ot Rikers leading to detainee being “kept for profonged peri in temporary spaccs sich ax shower, al timex standing in feses.™ Other 02, tse an. cotetdarNensinyeosRMip-cunssti10-2sccounts describe detuinees being denied water, feod, or adaquate sleep conditions and wsing plastic bags to Hold ther own feces and urine.” Detainees oi Rikers have dassibed their environment ana beoding ground for veel tenemiasions. ‘Thecurrent COVID-19 infect rate onthe island ie double that of New Yor City"seommenity sate andrising.“The jal syster is simultaneously managingan explosion in incidents of self-harm, including. $ ccmplcted suicides this year.’ Medical staff report that they eaanot effectively ‘plement pantie mitigation srategis or sel-harm preven effirs right now because the jul ao oo dyatunetiora (On tp of deplorable conditions, New York City's Departent of Contection has been stugaling witha stafing crisis as houses of eicers callout sick atl filo eeport for duty. Officers who so report for duty ate being maraated 1 say at tei posts for double and tiple shifts. Other fice ae fore t take ime off to recover from major injuries dae to icreaied prion violence tnd from the long-term effeets of COVID-19. Last week, the Department of Comoctions ‘omission reported that 1,789 0f the mis than 8,000 cficers i he department called in sick fone day aloe.” Bill de Blasio has recently anowneed a five-point “Emergency Relief Riker Plan” to address these inhumane condions, the plan as proposed does not provide the urgent and immediate intervention requited to deescalte a very real tiss. As supporiers of New York City's ‘ommitmert to closing the Rikers complex by 2027, we ind i especially alarming dat the plan {proposed could inhibit the tmely ompletin ofthis goa The Chief Medical Office on Riker ‘ware that "in 2021 we have wimessed a collapse in basic jail operations, sch that today T do ot believe the City i expable of safely managing the cody of those it i charged with incarcerating init jails” The federal government asthe duty and capacity sep into provide such need overughtand accountability forthe staf, offices, and detainee tha reside om Riker. ‘av Detainees have the right t9 humane flies free om vieenve with appropiats mental health tnd medical services, especially amit a global pararaie, We eanno:ceatitue 1 allow Rikers Island to deteriorate tothe point that tino longer a safe place for those in custody or those who ‘work inthe jails. Weare neglecting tomect our responsibility tocar for incarcerated New Yorkers with dignity ant respet. We believe the Adminstration shoud coordinate with New York State tnd City officals © stabilize the cure crisis prior ¥ the faelty"s permancetly closure, TO proseve the civil eights ofthove incarerated the Deparment of Justice should launch a torough investigation int these deplorable conditions. "ito, Nek "At Rika and Inna Lok in Shower witout Fed nd Defeating in Bas.” The tere, (Sa, 2021, teeeptcon 203108. Game oul "CONID I Saga Bas nto Riker sn NVC ale othe sshaniscomenlen sping back sur anda jul, Garg Jongh soa Reuven Ha, a Si apbaingia New YorkCay a, rl Nay Cig Caan Babe Hon to Reson o Rin aad Crist specrum Neve NY, sar am sl‘Thank you for your consideration, We look forwarlto your timely cesponse Sincerely, fos 4 Ritchie Tomes Member of Congress Yate D. Clarke Member of Congress Jarmaal Bowman Member of Congress Gregory W. Meeks Member of Congress Grace Menz Member of Congress Mendeire Soret Member of Congress ‘Thomas R. Susesi Member of Coapress Jerid Nadler Member af Congress Heer Jetties Member of Congress Carolyn B. Maloney ‘Member of Congress Aviano Espailat, “Member of Congress Nydia ML Vetérauez Member of Congress Member of Congress