An Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center is resuming operation after being nearly vacant for the last five years. A federal judge lifted a court order allowing the California facility to resume intake.
The Adelanto ICE Processing Center is about 80 miles from Los Angeles. Officials said it was on the verge of closing as ICE awaited a court ruling.
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The facility is run by The GEO Group in partnership with ICE. Whether it was in use or not, the center has cost taxpayers millions of dollars to keep open.
What caused the center to shut down?
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the facility experienced an outbreak of its own, reducing its population to just two detainees after a judge ordered the release following a lawsuit.
For years, the center was prohibited from adding detainees through intake or transfers. However, the recent court ruling allows the facility to increase its capacity to nearly 500 detainees.
Who wants the facility shut down?
An attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California said the pandemic-era ban was only meant to be temporary. However, she argues that the history of abuse against detainees at Adelanto should justify a permanent closure.
Last year, dozens of California lawmakers, including Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., and advocates called on the Department of Homeland Security to permanently close the center. They said the facility provided inadequate medical care and food. They also claimed staff ignored ongoing reports of abuse.
Who wants to keep the facility open?
On the other side, a state representative argued reopening Adelanto is long overdue, allowing the detention of immigrants awaiting court hearings.
As ICE raids continue across the country, concerns over the safety of immigrants held at Adelanto are resurfacing, especially now that the facility can increase its capacity.
The court’s decision, however, is independent of the Trump administration’s efforts to remove immigrants illegally in the country.
ICE has continued to work with The Geo Group to expand its contract to keep the facility open. ICE officials said keeping the facility open is part of efforts to “optimize enforcement resources.”
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Advocates and ICE officials said they are working toward a settlement in the ongoing lawsuit. A final decision isn’t expected until spring when a judge will determine whether the ban on adding more detainees can be lifted.
[Jack Aylmer]
AN ICE DETENTION CENTER CAPABLE OF HOLDING CLOSE TO 2,000 PEOPLE HAS SAT NEARLY VACANT FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
NOW, A FEDERAL JUDGE IS LIFTING A COURT ORDER, ALLOWING THE CALIFORNIA FACILITY TO RESUME INTAKE, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY.
THE ADELANTO ICE PROCESSING CENTER—ABOUT 80 MILES FROM LOS ANGELES—WAS ON THE VERGE OF CLOSURE WHILE THE AGENCY AWAITED A COURT RULING.
THE GEO GROUP, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, RUNS THE FACILITY, COSTING MILLIONS IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS WHETHER IT’S OPEN OR NOT.
WHEN COVID-19 HIT IN 2020, THE FACILITY SAW AN OUTBREAK OF ITS OWN, REDUCING ITS POPULATION TO JUST TWO AFTER A JUDGE ORDERED THE RELEASE OF DETAINEES FOLLOWING A LAWSUIT.
FOR YEARS, THE CENTER WAS PROHIBITED FROM ADDING DETAINEES THROUGH INTAKE OR TRANSFERS. BUT A NEW COURT RULING NOW ALLOWS THE FACILITY TO INCREASE ITS CAPACITY TO UP TO NEARLY 500 PEOPLE.
AN ATTORNEY WITH THE ACLU OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SAYS THE PANDEMIC-ERA BAN WAS ONLY EVER MEANT TO BE TEMPORARY, BUT SHE ADDED THE HISTORY OF ABUSE AGAINST DETAINEES AT ADELANTO SHOULD KEEP THE FACILITY CLOSED FOR GOOD.
LAST YEAR, DOZENS OF CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS AND ADVOCATES CALLED ON THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FOR A PERMANENT CLOSURE OF THE CENTER CITING LACK OF MEDICAL CARE AND FOOD WHILE ABUSE REPORTS ARE IGNORED BY STAFF.
ON THE OTHER SIDE, OTHER STATE REPRESENTATIVES BELIEVED THE OPENING OF ADELANTO WAS LONG OVERDUE TO START DETAINING IMMIGRANTS WAITING FOR COURT HEARINGS.
WITH ICE RAIDS CONTINUING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF IMMIGRANTS HELD AT ADELANTO ARE RE-EMERGING, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THE FACILITY CAN INCREASE ITS CAPACITY.
THE COURTS DECISION, HOWEVER, IS INDEPENDENT OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S EFFORTS TO REMOVE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AND THOSE WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS.
ICE HAS CONTINUED TO EXPAND ITS CONTRACT TO KEEP THE FACILITY OPEN IN AN EFFORT TO ‘OPTIMIZE ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES’
ADVOCATES AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS WORKED TOWARD A SETTLEMENT IN THE LAWSUIT.
A FINAL DECISION IS EXPECTED IN THE SPRING, WHEN A JUDGE WILL DECIDE WHETHER THE BAN CAN BE FULLY LIFTED FROM THE DETENTION CENTER AND OPERATIONS CAN RESUME.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M JACK AYLMER.
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