Fetterman Returns from CODEL to Turks and Caicos to Urge Release of Detained Americans
Senator calls for immediate action to bring Americans home
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has returned from a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands, where he met with American citizens who have been detained for months without charges.
In a press release, Fetterman said that he was "deeply concerned" about the situation and called for the immediate release of the Americans. He also said that he would be working with the Biden administration to ensure that the detainees are returned home safely.
The trip was organized by the Helsinki Commission, an independent U.S. government agency that monitors human rights and democracy in Europe and Eurasia. The delegation also included Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Ron Johnson (R-WI).
The detainees are among a group of Americans who have been held in the Turks and Caicos Islands since April. They were arrested after they were accused of illegally entering the country by boat. The U.S. government has said that the detainees are not being held for political reasons, but the Turks and Caicos government has not provided any specific charges against them.
Fetterman said that he met with the detainees and their families, and that he was "deeply troubled" by what he heard. He said that the detainees are being held in "unacceptable" conditions and that they have not been given access to legal counsel.
Fetterman said that he would be working with the Biden administration to ensure that the detainees are returned home safely. He also said that he would be urging the Turks and Caicos government to release the detainees immediately.
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