Woman detained by ICE released from KY jail after family speaks about her lack of care

A woman who was detained by federal immigration agents at the Louisville airport a couple of weeks ago has been released from custody Friday. 

A federal judge ordered the release of Sarafinah Bukirwa and her family paid her bond, according to media reports.

Earlier this week, Bukirwa’s brother, Isaac Kabunga, appeared with Democratic U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey and said he witnessed ICE agents detain her at the Louisville airport on July 22. He dropped her off as she was heading to a conference on sickle cell anemia. Bukirwa has the disease and operates a nonprofit focusing on support for those who have it, Sarafinah Sickle Cell Society.  

Under a visa, she came to the U.S. from Uganda to expand her work and applied for asylum. McGarvey said she was “doing everything the way that the rules and the laws have been laid out for her to do.”  

Kabunga said his sister was not receiving proper medical care while she was detained at the Graves County Detention Center. The jailer there, Jason Woosley, said Bukirwa “is receiving all prescribed medication.” 

“I’m so relieved Sarafinah is finally getting the care she needs and this nightmare is behind her, but so many families are still going through it,” McGarvey said in a statement Friday evening. “As long as this cruel administration continues its campaign of terror in our communities, we have to keep standing up for our neighbors.”

Days ago, McGarvey joined Democrats U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, of Illinois, and U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, of Wisconsin, at the Campbell County Detention Center to get a closer look at jail conditions for ICE detainees there.  

According to data from Relevant Research, the Grayson County Detention Center is holding 168 people on behalf of ICE, and of that, 138 of those people are in the non-criminal population. Throughout Kentucky, about 10 jails are housing about 1,200 people for ICE. They typically receive federal funding for housing the detainees.