Decisions have consequences

I am doing time in an immigration prison located in the southeastern region of the US. I was charged with re-entering the country illegally.

I had previously done five years in a federal prison for the non-violent crime of drug trafficking, and had been deported from the USA with an attached probation of three years.

While in Jamaica, it was virtually impossible to provide financial assistance to my family stateside, or be the involved father I had always been to my five children - all of them born US citizens and living in the US.

After six months on the island, I returned to the US where I got a legit, well-paying job which enabled me to take care of my family in the manner I'd always envisioned.

However, everything came to a screeching halt when a vehicle I was travelling in as a passenger was pulled over, and during this random traffic stop, my presence in the country was discovered by the authorities.

Based on the fact that I had a previous felony conviction and had committed this other 'crime' while still on probation, I was enhanced and given a 57-month sentence which was imposed by an unsympathetic judge intent on sending a message to prove that she was 'tough on immigration'.

There are more than 1,500 inmates at this privately operated prison. There are no US citizens here and everyone is facing almost certain deportation.

It has been a bit of a culture shock for those of us here who did time before in a Federal Bureau of Prisons institution, because things are prioritised and done differently.

Educational programmes and rehabilitation are just not priorities as this is more of a warehousing operation - one outsourced by the Feds to money-hungry and profit- obsessed private corporations. It is a business, plain and simple.

Stay in your lane

At this prison, all inmates, out of necessity, have to be cliqued up: Mexicans with Mexicans, Dominicans with Dominicans, Jamaicans with Jamaicans, and so it's very important to stay in your own lane. Tensions are always simmering just below the surface.

To occupy myself and my mind, I work out often and read a lot. I have books sent to me weekly and I subscribe to a variety of magazines, journals, national and international newspapers, including The Gleaner and THE STAR.

The latter is extremely popular, not only within the Jamaican community (about 80 of us), but with many other nationalities on the compound. Indeed, it remains a cultural touchstone to all 'di yard man dem'.

I am also writing a novel detailing my journey throughout and experiences with the American justice system, which I intend to self-publish. Who knows, maybe I'll serve as a cautionary tale for others.

I don't beat up myself too much for the consequential decisions I made that got me here. I have a very supportive family and I've always been a positive dude who considers everything that has happened to me as either a lesson or a blessing.

As my grandmother said to me on the phone recently, "wha nuh dead, nuh dash whe mi son", so it's all good.

- dfreshone876