Liberian barber held 8 months despite health issues
Jan 15, 2025·Tucker, GA·Liberia
Detention Conditions
Rodney Taylor, a Gwinnett County barber, immigrated from Liberia as a toddler, more than 40 years ago. Born with severe disabilities to his legs and arms, he was brought to the U.S. by his mother at age 2, so he could receive treatment. The disabilities eventually led to his left leg being amputated above the knee and his right leg below the knee. The double amputee was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at his home on Jan. 15. At the time of his arrest, Taylor had work visa and a pending application for a green card through his adult son, who is a U.S. citizen. ICE has kept Taylor in detention because of a felony burglary conviction that he pleaded guilty to as a teenager, and from which he was pardoned by the state of Georgia in 2010. He is being held at ICE’s Stewart Detention Center, located in the remote South Georgia town of Lumpkin. “His health is at risk every day he remains in detention,” Mildred Pierre, Taylor’s fiancee, said in a statement. This week, his legal team filed a brief in Georgia federal court arguing that he is being detained unlawfully. It’s an attempt to put an end to Taylor’s time in immigration custody, which recently surpassed the eight-month mark.