Members of the Chaldean Catholic community in San Diego have been protesting the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's detention of 27 Iraqi Christians at a privately-run detention facility since February.

The refugees, who have fled from the Islamic State, have been detained as the US government processes their asylum requests. All of the refugees have family members in San Diego, according to the protestors' spokesman, Mark Arabo.

"These Christians have escaped slavery and death from ISIS only to be imprisoned," Arabo said in an interview with a radio station. "The symbol for America is the Statue of Liberty. It’s not a gated fence."

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