Suzy Gerónimo, a transgender activist from North Carolina, has been detained for more than a month at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia while her immigration process continues. Gerónimo, who remains confined in an area designated for men, described harassment, unsafe conditions, and a lack of staff who speak Spanish. “It’s been awful, maybe because I’d never been in jail before. First, because they don’t know trans women exist, the staff is arrogant, they don’t care about anything, nobody speaks Spanish,” Gerónimo said in a written interview with Enlace Latino NC . “Many times they see me and treat me with mockery, they have me in the middle of so many men where the morbid curiosity is 24/7,” she added. Stewart Detention Center is one of the immigration facilities The largest in the country, it houses more than 1,700 people under contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Concerns about privacy and gender identity Immigration attorney Beckie Moriello, whose firm Raleigh Immigration Law Firm She is providing pro bono legal defense in the case, noting that conditions inside the center have been difficult for Gerónimo as a trans woman. Moriello said they have specifically advocated for access to private spaces for personal hygiene. She explained that the center primarily uses communal showers, which would force Gerónimo to share space with other detainees. This is a situation her legal team has repeatedly challenged, she said. “Sometimes they allow him to shower privately after hours, but it’s not consistent,” Moriello told Enlace Latino NC “We have mentioned it again to the judge, and the court has indicated to DHS that they must make accommodations, but it is still irregular.” Gerónimo said she noticed a change in the treatment she received after her legal team intervened. “Today I finally received some good treatment from some of the staff at the request of the lawyer,” Gerónimo said after her administrative hearing on May 12. Furthermore, the defense reiterated to the court that Gerónimo is a transgender woman. The judge indicated that the court would address her with respect. However, she stated that she could not compel all parties to use feminine pronouns. Treatment of transgender people in custody On the first day of his presidency, Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring that people in federal custody, including immigration detention, were housed in facilities according to the sex assigned at birth, rather than their gender identity. Shortly thereafter, ICE removed the 2015 “Transgender Care Memorandum” from its website. It also modified at least three contracts of detention centers to eliminate requirements for care for transgender people. Gerónimo noted that her experience reflects particular risks for trans women in immigration detention, especially when they are housed in facilities with a predominantly male population. “If it’s hard for a community in general, it’s much harder for a trans woman like me,” said Gerónimo. “As if that weren’t enough, with so many men here who haven’t seen women for months, some out of morbid curiosity and others who are disrespectful and even try to touch you. Thanks to asserting myself, nothing has happened,” she added. Their complaints add to concerns raised by civil rights organizations and immigrant groups about the treatment of LGBTQ+ people in ICE custody. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Enlace Latino NC . The Stewart Detention Center has faced scrutiny for problems related to medical care, detainee deaths, and communication between staff and detainees. Suzy thanks the community for their support Since her arrest, organizations and community leaders in North Carolina have spearheaded support efforts, including fundraising for cover costs associated with her arrest. The case has had a major impact on LGBTQ+ communities and immigrants from the state. Gerónimo, known for her activism, was the first trans person to found an NGO for the Latino LGBTQ+ community: Force and Multiple Union (FUM). “I don’t think I have words or actions to thank you all for the support you’ve been giving me, since I don’t fully understand how much support I’ve received here. The people I’ve spoken to have let me know,” said Gerónimo. “I just hope to get out very soon. To show my gratitude.”added GERONIMO You might be interested in>> Bail for undocumented immigrants: what you need to know What's next in the case? Attorney Moriello added that the legal team will request asylumThe asylum hearing could be in July, although it has not yet been scheduled, Moriello explained. For its part, the bail hearing No date has been set yet. At this hearing, a judge will determine whether Gerónimo can continue his legal proceedings while free pending his case. “If anyone wants to show support, they should be ready to attend the bail hearing,” the lawyer said. Meanwhile, Geronimo eagerly awaits the opportunity to return to her community in North Carolina. “May God give me the strength to make it to the end,” Gerónimo said. “And so I can have a clear message about what I experienced in here, and make the entire community, and the LGBTQ+ community in particular, understand that nothing in this life is easy and we have to fight hard to achieve our goals, especially us as trans women.” PODCAST After the storm A year ago, Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina. The Latino community responded with something stronger than the storm: solidarity. 🎧 In this episode, learn how Latino organizations transformed crisis into resilience. ▶️Press play to listen!