A lawsuit has been filed against Broome County Sheriff David Harder that pushes for the Broome County jail to bring back visitation.

The group behind the lawsuit, Justice and Unity for the Southern Tier, or JUST, said in-person visitations have returned to several state prisons and other jails across the state as coronavirus cases have eased, but have not at Broome County.

JUST and families of people in jail called it a denial of rights during a Friday news conference.

"Kids aren't seeing their parents. Families aren't even able to speak to each other properly with the devices they do have, so we need the jails to be open," said Chamisse Morast, a member of JUST.

Harder did not comment on the lawsuit.