a

N

San Bernardino County Immigrant Detention Center

in San Bernardino County, that is

those at risk of permanent closure will remain open until at least mid-June, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Wednesday.

In a statement, ICE spokeswoman Jenny Burke said the extension provides additional time for potential relief from pending lawsuits preventing full use

of the facility.

from the Adelanto ICE processing center.

The location and availability of detention space directly affects the agencies’ ability to remove individuals to their home countries, enforce immigration law domestically and detain those who threaten public safety or national security, Burke said.

The branch was originally scheduled to close a week before Christmas

, but I. L

Last month, ICE extended the contract until mid-February.

climbed up

About 350 union workers at the

facilityAdelanto ICE Processing Centerhave

urged the agency to find a way to keep it open, while advocates for detained immigrants celebrated the possible closure.

Adelanto has a capacity of 1,940 people, but now has few prisoners. The population dropped significantly in 2020 after a COVID-19 outbreak prompted the ACLU Foundation of Southern California to file a lawsuit and a federal judge ordered the release of inmates.

the

pause new intakes.

Three years later, that order is still in effect.

ICE guarantees that it will pay contractors for a minimum number of beds, regardless of whether they are occupied. Both supporters and opponents of the facility call it a waste of taxpayer money to maintain

Adelantothe Facility

staffed and operational, while supervising only a handful of detainees.

The branch was originally scheduled to close a week before Christmas. Last month, ICE extended the contract until mid-February.Adelanto, o O

ne of California

biggestbiggest

immigrant detention centers,

Adelanto

has been investigated by

various governments

watchdogs over health and safety violations, including disciplinary segregation and

detailed

exposure to toxic chemicals.

If it closes, six other private facilities would remain

operational

in the state.