Death on Terminal Island: The Murder of a Transgender Illegal Immigrant

Victoria Arellano died at 23 years old. Hers is one of the most grotesque stories I have ever read. You can read it in detail here:
http://www.lamag.com/featuredarticle.aspx?id=9366

She was a transgender who had AIDS. She was detained at Terminal Island, and got very sick, because she was not provided with her HIV medications. Guards and nurses watched her deteriorate until she died a slow, painful death, despite protests from other detainees.

Terminal Island is a detention camp between Los Angeles and Long Beach for illegal immigrants that have been arrested. It is supposed to be reserved for criminals, however for many, their only crime was coming to America illegally, and for many others still, like Victoria, their crimes are petty. Victoria was a heroin addict. (I guess to some that wouldn't be considered a "petty" crime, I think it is in comparison to being a heroin dealer.) Some are here legally, but didn't have adequate paperwork on hand when arrested, and have to wait months before they are allowed access to outside sources that can produce proof of their right to be here.

I have met dozens of their detainees, and their ICE guards. See, many of these people become depressed, suicidal, or even dangerous to others. When they require psychiatric hospitalization, they come to my hospital. While they are there, an ICE guard is with them 1:1, 24 hours a day, until they leave. They always end up here for a very long time, because they can't go anywhere until the court reviews their case. These people have no due process. They don't get legal counsel. They are not even allowed to contact their families. One ICE guard explained to me the reason they couldn't make phone calls is because they might plot with friends and families for escape. It is not uncommon for such a person to live with us for a year, long after being stabilized.

These people have no rights whatsoever. Because they are here illegally, the state of California has ruled that the Constitution does not apply to them.

Yet our Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger is asking for a chunk of the bailout money because our state is in a budget crisis. I can't even begin to imagine what the cost of something like Terminal Island is, but I'm sure it's not small. Not to mention the cost of keeping these people in an inpatient hospital with their own personal guard for months on end. A day in my hospital costs around $3000.

In the case of Victoria Arellano, I wonder if her murder was because she was an illegal immigrant, or because of the fact that she was a transgender, ex heroin addict with AIDS. Would she have been treated any different if she weren't the last three?