Nicoll Hernandez-Polanco in a visiting room at ICE's detention center in FlorenceAfter almost six months in an all-male immigration detention center a transgender woman from Guatemala is "hopeful" she will be released and wait for her asylum court case outside of detention.
Nicoll Hernandez-Polanco has alleged discrimination and abuse because of her gender identification.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said the agency does not tolerate abusive behavior and has offered to transfer Hernandez-Polanco to a facility in California that has a transgender pod.
The 23-year-old immigrant refused the transfer saying she would rather "keep fighting" for the elimination of harassment for transgender people in detention.
Immigration officials allowed media outlets to interview Hernandez-Polanco Friday inside the Eloy facility's visiting area.
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