Reps back Brennan as Dolly moves him

Tag : Metal Cushion

Then Hurricane Dolly slammed into the Lone Star State, sending theMaze prison escapee on new odyssey that landed him in 23-hoursolitary confinement in New Mexico, this just weeks after his firstmonths-long solitary stint in Texas ended when a U.S. immigrationofficial decided his "security threat" classification wasinappropriate.

Hundreds of immigration detainees were evacuated from the PortIsabel Detention Center in Los Fresnos, Texas the day beforeDolly's July 23 arrival.

Speaking to the Irish Echo via phone from the Otero CountyDetention Center in Chaparral, New Mexico, Brennan said that he andanother prisoner, who also had an escape history, were put in aspecial mini-van with blacked-out windows for the 14-hour trip tothe new jail.

Brennan's legs were shackled and he had to sit on a metal benchwith no cushion for the entire 925 mile journey. He blames extremetemperature fluctuations inside the van - which alternately lefthim severely chilled from air conditioning, and then sweatingprofusely from high heat - for making him very sick en route.

"I was sore and in a sorry state when I arrived here," he told theEcho "It was very stressful."

Brennan is currently only allowed out of his cell one hour dailyfor exercise while meals are delivered under his door.

ICE public affairs spokeswoman, Leticia Zamarripa, told the Echo onMonday that Brennan was placed in solitary for "security reasons,"but that his case was being reviewed and he could be returned todormitory-style lock up in the future.

Brennan was among 38 IRA prisoners who escaped Northern Ireland'sMaze prison in September 1983. Entering the U.S. months later, helived under an alias in the San Francisco Bay area until arrestedby the FBI in January 1993.

In 2000, in the wake of the Good Friday agreement, Britain droppedits extradition request. U.S. authorities then authorized Brennanto work as a carpenter in the San Francisco Bay area while awaitinga rulings on his political asylum case, and deportation proceedingsagainst him for entering the country illegally.

On January 27, he was detained a Texas immigration checkpointbecause his U.S.-issued work permit had expired. Brennan hadapplied for renewal, but had not yet received an updated permit.

Brennan twice honored bond terms when released in the 1990s duringBritish extradition proceedings. However, the judge in his currentcase, has denied him bail because he deems the Belfast native aflight risk and a danger to society.

On Tuesday, three Congressman, Peter King (R-NY), Richard Neal (D-MA) and Jim Walsh (R-NY), sent a letter to U.S. Department ofHomeland Security Michael Chertoff calling for Brennan to begranted bail.

"Mr. Brennan's continued detention without bond appears to serve noend that is consistent with the interest of the United States tofoster a lasting peace in Northern Ireland," the letter reads.

"With his marriage to a United States citizen and provisions in thelaw to waive his prior unlawful presence in the U.S., Mr. Brennanought to be granted the opportunity to contest the charge ofremoval with the privilege of release on bond. His continueddetention is not justified for the security of the United States,or its people, nor is he a flight risk."

In a phone interview with the Irish Echo on Monday, Rep. King, aformer chairman of the house of Representatives Homeland SecurityCommittee, was asked if he thought Brennan should ultimately beallowed to stay in the US.

"Yes I do. My understanding is the only problem with that is thathe didn't file (the work permit renewal form) on time," saidCongressman King.

"As I understand it, he was living here legally and then there wasa paperwork error," he added. "And whether it was his fault or thegovernment's fault, the fact is, as I understand it, there was nomalice, there was no attempt not to file it. So if they are thefacts, then he should stay."

Joanna Volz, Brennan's American wife of 19 years, told the Echothat she doesn't disagree with the decision to evacuate a facilityin the path of a hurricane. But her husband's relocation to NewMexico means that visiting her husband will be next to impossible.

"I was seeing him every Saturday for either a half-hour or anhour," said Volz "Now that is no longer possible. The new prison isin the middle of nowhere. It would be a two-day drive each way forme to see him."

Brennan's next scheduled court appearance is on August 12. However,given that the Texas courtroom where judge overseeing his casenormally presides was damaged by Hurricane Dolly, those proceedingscould be pushed back several weeks, or even months.