Workers at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, one of California’s largest immigrant detention centers, are urging the federal government not to close the center next year after discussions about its possible closure, according to the union that represents many of them . Randy Erwin, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, said a contract extension by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement gives the agency until Feb. 19 to decide the future of the facility. “This is a major employer in that area,” says Erwin. “If you close a factory like that, it would be absolutely devastating to the local economy and devastating to these workers.”

A former state prison that began functioning as a

Nice

detention center in 2011,

Adelanto

currently contains few details, although it has a capacity of 1,940.

The Adelanto The facility is

The population dropped dramatically in 2020 after an outbreak of COVID-19 cases entered the facility, prompting a federal judge to order the release of inmates and ban new admissions and transfers.

Adelanto has also faced scrutiny from federal and state watchdogs for health and safety violations. In 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency

issued a warning

to the GEO Group, the Florida-based private prison giant that operates the facility, after finding that misuse of a chemical disinfectant spray caused nosebleeds and nausea in inmates.

A few years earlier, federal inspectors found nooses

detailed

cells

etc

excessive use of disciplinary segregation.

and that d

Inmates reported waiting months before they could see a doctor.

ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A GEO Group spokesperson declined to comment and referred questions to ICE. Immigrant a

Lawyers said

closure of Adelantothe closure

would be a win for immigrants and the local community.

A coalition of groups called Shut Down Adelanto has been pushing for the facility’s closure for years. “Amid so much inhumanity in the world right now, this is incredibly powerful,” said Guillermo Torres, immigration program director for Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice. “For those still incarcerated, I hope this gives some hope.” I’ll have to delete for now and get an updated quote since he said this when he thought it was closing for good.

Erwin expressed his concerns about a possible closure in a November 29 letter to President Biden

, noting. He noticed

he learned that

the “dramatic underutilization” of the facility

j

could be

lead to prompt

its closure

on Dec. 19, when the facility contract expired, which would lead to and

the dismissal of 350 union members

just days before Christmas

.

He pointed out that the facility would likely close in December. 19, just days before Christmas.

“This administration considering the closure of the Adelanto ICE Processing Center at a time when capacity in this area is so desperately needed is truly baffling and seemingly counterintuitive,” he wrote, pointing to the Biden administration’s supplemental budget request in October to finance 12,500 euros. more ICE beds.

Erwin argued that the request was inconsistent

athe

closure of the Adelanto facility, which is already being paid for from existing credits.

Workers were happy to hear they wouldn’t immediately lose their jobs, Erwin said Tuesday, but they worry about what will happen in the long term. A GEO Group economic impact analysis provided to The Times by Erwin shows the company spent more than $46 million in the city of Adelanto this year, including nearly $40 million in wages. Can we say that Erwin provided this to us? If not, we’ll have to leave it out for now until you can fill it out when you get back.

Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear Lake) wrote to ICE leadership on Oct. 1. 3 urges them to seek relief from the 2020 court order so the filming can take place

could be

CV. Although the inmate population

at Adelanto

has shrunk, the facility has remained fully staffed and operational, he says

saidnoted

.

Due to guaranteed bed quotas for detention, ICE has paid, but for now this has been halted.

“This striking example of excessive government mismanagement and resource mismanagement is completely unacceptable,” he wrote, noting that Adelanto is the only detention facility in the country with an outright intake ban related to COVID-19.

Carlos Castillo Mejia, 52, from El Salvador is one of the

six

people

have we confirmed this number? make sure it is cq -yes

who are being held at the Adelanto facility. Castillo Mejia, who has been held there for nearly five years and is currently appealing his deportation to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, said Friday that the facility was operating normally, with no indications from staff that it would close.

“I cannot understand how the government thought to keep this facility open with such a minimum number of people, for which millions and millions have to be paid,” Castillo Mejia said.