Support for people detained at SDC and their families
El Refugio’s services are always free and confidential.
Call us at 404.480.4780.
Hospitality
Our hospitality house is open on weekends to people visiting loved ones at SDC. We are located just down the street from SDC at 210 Main St. in Lumpkin. You may drop by to rest and use the restroom, or you may spend the night on Saturday. By spending the night, you may be able to visit your loved one a second time on Sunday. Please call to let us know if you plan to stop by. If you need accommodation during the week for your loved one’s court hearing, we may be able to help. Please call us at 404.480.4780.
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Visitation
An El Refugio volunteer may be able to visit your loved one, if you are unable to. Volunteers offer a listening ear, empathy, and friendship during an hour-iong social visit during regular visiting hours. Let us know if you would like us to add your loved one to our visitation list.
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Post-Release Support
If your loved one is going to be released from SDC soon, we can help ensure your loved one gets to their destination.
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Commissary Support
El Refugio deposit $20 in your loved one’s commissary account to purchase food, toiletries, a phone card, or other items.
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Family Care Program
El Refugio supports families whose loved one is detained or has been recently deported. We can refer you to local resources and, in some cases, provide financial assistance.
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Books
El Refugio sends books to people inside SDC upon request. We can send your loved one up to two books, including an English textbook, a Bible, a Quran, a novel, an inspirational book, or any other type of book that will help them cope.
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Legal Referrals
El Refugio does not have lawyers on staff, but we can refer you to legal support organizations and lawyers for hire. We can also send your loved one a packet of information on how to advocate for their release from inside SDC.
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Bag of clothing
ICE allows people at SDC to receive a bag of clothing for when they are deported or released. We can help you send or deliver a bag to your loved one. If you cannot get a bag of clothing to SDC, we may be able to help. We get more requests than we can accommodate, but, in partnership with Koinonia Farm, we fulfill as many requests as we can.
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Helpline
El Refugio operates a bilingual helpline for people inside SDC. Your loved one may want to call to ask questions, report a rights violation, or just talk to someone with an empathetic ear. Please share the helpline number for people inside SDC: 229.234.9022.
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Pen-Pal Match
If your loved one would like to communicate with a friend via letters or phone calls, we may be able to find a volunteer pen-pal.
One family’s story:
My name is Lori. I stayed at El Refugio's hospitality house in 2019, along with my children, Aden and Mallory, when my husband was detained at Stewart Detention Center. I would like to share about the experience and what it means to me and my children.
What our guests say about El Refugio
“I felt at home. We had a very good stay, played games to pass the time after the visit to the detention center and before we all made dinner. My eight-year-old daughter did not want to leave and asked if we would return.”
“What a wonderful ministry serving those who are at what is likely one of the lowest points of their life. To be able to have a place to stay in order to visit with a loved one at Stewart Detention Center is a godsend. I was fortunate to be the recipient of such kindness while my husband was detained.”
“If I could, I would give this place infinity stars!”
“We were received with open arms and kindness. This place and the volunteers are so caring, kind, humble! They made us feel like we were family and we were at home, in this difficult time we are going through right now, El Refugio helped lift some of the burden we had that weekend, while visiting our loved one!”
“A wonderful place that serves the immigrant community.”
Additional Resources
Go here for Frequently Asked Questions.
The Latin American Association in Atlanta offers immigration and social services to Latinos in the Southeast.
The ACLU publishes this guide: “What to Do If You Are Stopped by Police, Immigration Agents, or the FBI”.