In early April, concerns mounted when activist Malik Muhammada vocal advocate for racial justice, seemingly vanished from the Oregon Inmate Tracker. Friends and family, already wary due to Muhammad’s outspoken nature, feared the worst. This incident sheds light on a broader issue: the alarming frequency with which individuals disappear within the U.S. prison system.
Muhammad, a 25-year-old army veteran, was sentenced in 2026 to 10 years in prison for their involvement in the 2026 Black Lives Matter protests. They received the harshest sentence among hundreds of protesters charged, pleading guilty to two counts of unlawful possession of a destructive device. Despite negotiations to serve their time in Oregon State Prisonnear their support network, Muhammad was transferred to Kirkland Correctional Institute in South Carolinaover 3,000 miles away.
The Disappearance and Transfer
Muhammad’s scheduled call with their attorney, Lauren Reganwas abruptly canceled in March. When Regan checked the inmate tracker, Muhammad’s records were nowhere to be found. For weeks, their whereabouts remained unknown, with the best information supporters could gather being that they had been moved to a ‘confidential location.’ It wasn’t until late April that a letter from Muhammad surfaced, revealing their transfer to Kirkland Correctional Institute.
The conditions at Kirkland, as described by Muhammad, were deplorable. Incarcerated individuals reportedly face denial of adequate water, food, and recreation, and are forced to sleep on mats on the floor, which are sometimes confiscated as punishment. The South Carolina Department of Corrections initially claimed to have no record of Muhammad, further complicating efforts to locate and assist them.
The Broader Issue of Disappearances
The case of Malik Muhammad is not an isolated incident. Each year, countless individuals disappear within the vast U.S. prison system. In New MexicoStephen Slevin spent nearly two years in solitary confinement after being forgotten by county officials following a driving under the influence charge. Slevin never saw a judge or lawyer and resorted to pulling his own tooth due to consistent medical neglect.
Wanda Bertramcommunications strategist for the Prison Policy Initiativenotes that such disappearances are ‘pretty common.’ She emphasizes the lack of effort by prisons to inform families about transfers, leaving loved ones in the dark and fueling anxiety. This issue is particularly pressing as the U.S. government increases its use of incarceration for immigration enforcement, raising concerns about the system’s ability to track and care for those within it.
Retaliation and Activism
Regan, a founder and director of litigation and advocacy at the Civil Liberties Defense Centerbelieves Muhammad’s transfer is retaliatory. Muhammad, who is Black, Muslim, an anarchist, and a political activisthas been a target due to their outspoken beliefs and organizing efforts. Regan highlights that Muhammad has assisted in building a class-action lawsuit against the Oregon prison system for abuses of solitary confinement, further provoking retaliation.
The Oregon Department of Corrections denies any retaliatory motives, stating that transfer decisions are made after a thorough review process. However, Regan argues that Muhammad’s transfer violates their plea agreement, which specified they would serve their time in Oregon. Federal prisons, often better funded and offering more freedoms, were an option, but Muhammad chose to stay close to their community.
Friends describe Muhammad as empathetic, generous, and passionate, known for singing for cellmates and sharing books on political theory. Despite their advocacy and community building, Muhammad now faces the harsh reality of being thousands of miles from home, with friends and family left to hope and wait.
