Detainee questions Water Quality After Finding Spider in Bucket at U.S. Immigration Facility
EL PASO, TX – A South Korean national detained at a U.S. immigration facility questioned the safety of drinking water after discovering a spider floating in a bucket provided for hydration, according to a recent interview. The incident, part of a broader account of challenging conditions experienced during detention, raises concerns about basic standards of care within the facility.
The detainee,identified as Kim,described a “terrible” initial holding area were access to the outside world was limited to small,painted-over windows. He recounted the unsettling revelation in the water room, prompting him to jokingly ask staff if drinking the water would turn him into spider-Man. “There was a spider in the bucket? Then, if you drink this water, will you become a Spider-Man?” he relayed to KyungHyang Shinmun reporter. Staff did not indicate whether the water was safe, only that it was provided.
Kim’s account, published by Trend Newspaper, details a period of detention marked by overcrowding, delayed access to legal counsel, and limited information regarding his case. He was initially held in a room with 70 other detainees, eventually moving to a two-person room after a waiting list and registration process on the fourth day. those deemed “without luck,” he said, only moved to better accommodations the day before their release.
The detainee reported limited access to news, relying primarily on CNN broadcasts from a facility television until meeting with Korean officials on the seventh day. A lawyer’s interview wasn’t scheduled until the tenth day.Prior to release, Kim and other detainees were required to sign an “I-210” document acknowledging they could not remain in the U.S., admitting illegal entry, and pledging not to attempt re-entry. Some initially refused, questioning the need to admit guilt, but signed after assurances from the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs that it would not create disadvantages. Kim expressed continued anxiety about future U.S.visa applications despite his release.
