Two men being detained at a South Texas immigration center have undergone medical treatment for bat bites they received at the facility.
According to immigration attorney Laura Figuera, her client Yonathan Eduard Morales Galivz was taken to the hospital in the early hours one recent morning and is undergoing ongoing treatment “just in case the bat was rabid.”
“The bat was actually thrown away. So, by the time they figured out where the bat was, it was too late to test it for rabies,” Figueroa explained to the Texas Tribune, noting that her client will be receiving a series of vaccinations as a precaution. Details remain scant about the second bitten individual.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that prior cases of rabies have been reported in the area which the detention center is located and Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed the bites in a short statement. “The area the bat was found in was temporarily evacuated, and the facility is currently undergoing a thorough inspection and abatement plan that is consistent with state and federal protections,” ICE told the Tribune on Friday.
The Florida-based GEO Group, which manages the facility via a contract with ICE, told Figueroa the incident was isolated and there was only one bat. However, the attorney said her client told her the bat problem was a known issue before he was bitten. Another client told Figueroa about an opening in the roof where bats and other critters would enter the facility.
The GEO Group acknowledged the problem and said they are working to prevent issues from arising in the future.
Morales, who is originally from Venezuela, was detained at the port of entry in Laredo, Texas, where was seeking political asylum. He previously lived in the United States but was deported after overstaying his tourist visa and getting arrested.
