Clayton Richard Gordon came to the US at the age of 7, he is a father of two U.S. citizens, and is a war veteran. At the beginning of October, there was a protest staged by detainees at the Suffolk County House of Corrections, where Clayton is being held, protesting against substandard and unsanitary conditions. As punishment, Clayton was placed in solitary confinement with no disciplinary record.

After pressure from the community, including his fiancée and father of his 3-year old baby, Clayton was released from solitary. In an interview with the Boston Globe, Kimberly, said:

“The conditions really need to change,” said Kimberly Wierzchowski, 28, of Connecticut.

She said Gordon has told her there are bug infestations, that detainees have gotten stomach ulcers, and have contracted infections because food trays and utensils are not properly cleaned. Some have bacterial foot infections because showers are not properly cleaned, according to Wierzchowski and other protestors.

Wierzchowski said her fiance complained and, for doing so, has been in solitary confinement for the past six days.

“The conditions are horrible and they won’t give us answers,” she said.

Hours after that protest, she received word that Clayton had been released, without any charges or disciplinary consequences, and without explanation.

Now Kim and the community supporting Clayton, including local advocates from Unidad Latina en Acción, will be working on getting a pardon for Clayton’s prior convictions, getting more support from the community, and closing his deportation case. Please stay in touch for updates.

A bit more about Clayton

Clayton wns a home with his fiancée, and is a father of 2 U.S. citizens, including a 3-year old. In 1994 he joined the National Guard, and two years later began active duty in the U.S. army. Before he was detained, he was renovating a property as  a volunteer that would serve as a transitional home for single mothers to transition from incarceration, which is on hold.

On June 20, 2013, Clayton was detained by immigration, due to a 5-year old guilty plea to possession with intent to sell, after cocaine was found in the home he shared with relatives. Because of this conviction, he is under mandatory detention without a chance for a bond, and at a high risk of being deported.

Although he is out of solitary, he continues to be detained and in deportation proceedings.

The letter to the Sheriff

As part of the campaign to get Clayton out of solitary confinement, his supporters sent hundreds of letters to the Sheriff’s department, and the Immigration officers. The letter is below.

To: Tina Guarna Armstrong, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Boston Field Office; and Steven Tompkins, Suffolk County Sheriff</strong>

I am writing in support of the release of Mr. Clayton Richard Gordon (A# 037-749-187/ Inmate# 1304102) from solitary confinement at the Suffolk County House of Corrections. Mr. Clayton Richard Gordon served for seven years in the United States (US) Army before being honorably discharged, he came to the country when he was 7 years old and has lived here ever since, he is the father of two US citizens, he is a home owner, and has made significant contributions to his community. As a concerned community member we are requesting that Mr. Gordon be released from solitary confinement.

In 2008, Mr. Gordon was arrested after police found cocaine in the home he shared with relatives; he was released from custody the same day. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to sell, and served three years of probation. Mr. Gordon restarted his life. He and fiancée purchased their first home and had a son, now three years old. Mr. Gordon ran his own contracting business. Committed to giving back to his community, he was renovating a property in an economically depressed area into a transitional home for single mothers coming out of incarceration – a project that he himself started and that, without him, is on hold. On June 20, 2013, after Mr. Gordon said goodbye to his fiancée and son and left for work, he was suddenly surrounded and detained by armed immigration agents.

Mr. Gordon’s detention has harmed his family and community. It has deprived his children of an important caretaker and of the love and support that they need. I am asking that Mr. Gordon be released from solitary confinement.

Thank you,

[Signature]

Cc: Todd Thurlow, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Boston Field Office; Eugene Sumpter, Jr, Suffolk County Special Sheriff / Superintendent