Immigrants complain of poor conditions in notorious unit at Louisiana’s ‘Angola’ prison, @vevalenz.bsky.social reports. Gov. Jeff Landry re-opened “Camp 57” in September at the site of former “Camp J,” the notorious solitary confinement unit that was built on a slave plantation.

From the 1970s to 2018, Louisiana’s ‘Angola’ prison was notorious for suicides, fighting, extreme heat & isolation. After its closure, it served as housing for incarcerated individuals infected with COVID-19, then Gov. Jeff Landry reopened the unit to hold immigrants, @vevalenz.bsky.social reports.

Check out this about what Easter means to and looks like for people in prison.

Easter is hard for people in prison who are away from their families. This group helps incarcerated people find liberation, freedom and connection in the holiday. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/prison-fel...

Dolores Huerta, Ana Murguia and Debra Rojas made an enormous sacrifice for the farmworker movement, but it was the kind of sacrifice no one should ever have to make.

Across the country, high school students are organizing walkouts, coalitions and days of action to protest ICE and show solidarity with immigrants. #AbolishICE #iceout

“When we would do a video call when we were at Adams, my son would be like, ‘I just really wish I could be there.’” Some families are suing jails for banning in-person visits as they're forced to turn to costly calls to stay in touch with loved ones inside, @vevalenz.bsky.social reports.

“The students at Overfelt High School are among thousands across the country, from California to Iowa, Texas and Maryland, who have walked out to protest ICE and show solidarity with immigrants in their communities.” @vevalenz.bsky.social @wagingnonviolence.org wagingnonviolence.org/2026/02/high...

"St. Clair County Jail is one of the thousands of jails around the country that have banned in-person visiting." "If the court rules in the plaintiffs' favor, the families hope the cases could make it unconstitutional to permanently ban in-person jail visits." #Michigan #USA #Incarceration

Victoria Valenzuela: @vevalenz.bsky.social ——————————————— Prism: @prismreports.org Subscribe to Their Newsletter: prismreports.org Donate to Prism: secure.actblue.com/donate/prism

“Sometimes we’d get off the phone & my son would just cry because either the time would cut off or it would cut out & he just wouldn’t get to say goodbye properly.” Families are suing jails for banning in-person visits & forcing them to turn to high-cost calls, @vevalenz.bsky.social reports.

From tap dance to partner lifts, people in prison are working with advocates to find freedom, expression and storytelling. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/a-radical-...

Amid more attention to Dilley Detention Center, advocates are sending lawmakers paper dolls with messages as the latest tactic in protesting against family detention. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/immigrant-...

My latest Substack post: People in prison are still human beings — they like to watch sports, root for a team, listen to Bad Bunny and share a meal just like everybody else. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/were-gonna...

Tommy Lee Walker, who was 19 years old at the time he was wrongfully convicted, was posthumously pardoned 70 years after his execution. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/a-texas-ma...

Read more from my latest substack post here: victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/jails-and-...

Jails and prisons around the country are starting to ban mail for incarcerated people, and families are saying it takes away from the sentimentality and privacy of sending letters, artwork and greeting cards. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/jails-and-...

Read more from my latest substack post here: victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/jails-and-...

Jails and prisons around the country are starting to ban mail for incarcerated people, and families are saying it takes away from the sentimentality and privacy of sending letters, artwork and greeting cards. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/jails-and-...

In California, families impacted by incarceration passed a law for free prison phone calls, and they are urging other states to do the same. They say free phone calls help them feel closer and connect more frequently. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/how-free-p...

Today Trump carried out the 75th annual presidential turkey pardon while about 2,100 people will spend another holiday on death row. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/presidenti...

Today Trump carried out the 75th annual presidential turkey pardon while about 2,100 people will spend another holiday on death row. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/presidenti...

Tremane Wood, Bryan Jennings and Stephen Bryant are scheduled to be murdered by the government this week. Advocates are petitioning to stop the executions. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/three-exec...

While most of the country will be celebrating the holiday with a freebie from work, nearly 145,000 veterans are locked up and ousted from society, despite their years of service protecting what is (ironically) called “the land of the free” victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/nearly-145...

New Substack post: After organizing by prison abolitionist organizations, new laws aimed at reforming the system passed in California this fall and will become law, going into effect next year. victoriaevalenzuela.substack.com/p/a-historic...

"I'm a survivor of domestic violence, of child molestation, and a survivor of the California prison system." "During her two-day trial, she was barred from testifying about the abuse she endured for years." "California's really behind a lot of the country on this." #California #USA #Incarceration

Victoria Valenzuela: @vevalenz.bsky.social -------------------------------------- Bolts: @boltsmag.org Subscribe to their newsletter: boltsmag.org/newsletter/ Donate to Bolts: boltsmag.org/donate-page/...

The 10 deaths in ICE detention this year could have been prevented and are still under investigation. This project pulls from articles, ICE reports, obituaries and press releases to give a picture of who these people were and the days leading up to their deaths. open.substack.com/pub/victoria...