The Closure of Detention Centers in California

Guest blogger: Pamela Baez, Masters in Migration Studies, graduate student, University of San Francisco:

“The way I have been treated makes me feel like trash” said an 11 year old boy to NBCnews for his experience after being separated from his mother at the Southern Border. A 7 year old girl from Guatemala named Jakelin Caal died after being apprehended by the border patrol. Felipe Gomez Alonso died at the age of 8 due to a fever and vomiting. After 2014, the number of Unaccompanied Children crossing the Southern border began to increase rapidly. The United States believed the best solution was to fund or create more detention centers. From the apprehension of children and adults at the border to their experience in a detention center it continues to shape and affect the lives of undocumented people physically and emotionally by creating a CRISIS.

Throughout the years many states, non-profits, families, lawyers, activists and more continue to unite to help the immigrants arriving to the U.S. One of the states that continues to support undocumented immigrants is California. In 2017, the state of California approved The Dignity Not Detention Act. Kemi Bello explains, “ The bill also prohibits cities or counties from entering into new, or modifying existing, contracts with private prison companies for the purposes of expanding immigration detention.” This act and the harsh conditions immigrants are undergoing has contributed to the closure of some detention centers in California. Even though detention centers are being used as a profit for the government of the United States, California wants to continue protecting and helping immigrants. I believe this is not just a HUMANITARIAN act but also a RIGHT.

Two of the counties that have ended contracts with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in California have been Contra Costa and now Sacramento. For instant, Adelanto is one of the largest immigration detention facility in San Bernardino, California. With the support of many different activists speaking up about the conditions inside the center now they have ended its contract with ICE. Although some have shut down there are still many that remain open and have renewed their contracts with ICE such as Mesa Verde in Bakersfield. 

Currently the main concern with centers being closed is how this will affect the immigrants. When a facility closes the detainees can be transferred to another center, but not always. Many undocumented people get deported as well. I believe the closure of these centers are necessary because it is a human right VIOLATION. There are other measures that can be taken when a facility closes. For example, they should have the right of being reunited with their sponsor. Undocumented people are not criminals. They are humans running away from natural disasters, persecution, family reunification and more. A misdemeanor should not define a person as a whole. One detention center is traumatizing enough. Lauren-Brooke Eisen demonstrates in her book titled Inside Private Prisons: An American Dilemma in the Age of Mass Incarceration how the business of detention centers might not end anytime soon. Many different media outlets have reported that ICE has estimately provided $800 million dollars to private detention facilities around the United States. This is why I want to highlight California and how this act has helped contribute to the closure of some facilities. I believe through the power of UNITY as a community great movements can occur.  

bh