ISD Scales back Family Detention Center Expansion, Ending Expansion Plans for Family Residential Center at Karnes County.
The management team of South Texas Family Residential Center (Karnes County) and Dilley Family Residential Center, both owned and operated by Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and managed under a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), announced on Wednesday to significantly scale back both facilities. This news comes in the wake of significant and growing scrutiny targeted these facilities as they are at the center of a prolonged legal challenge by every major children’s and immigrant rights organization in America over family detention.
Previously, the U.S. government entered into a contract with CCA to construct and operate a new 900-bed capacity family detention facility at Karnes County. This new facility was set to open in June 2015, would be capable of detaining well over 1,000 adults and children. And with an option for an additional 400 beds, the requested construction capacity totals well over 1,400 beds.
In light of continued legal challenges, fierce political opposition, and increasing public pressure to end the family detention program, ICE announced on Tuesday that it was reducing the capacity of the Karnes Expansion from 900 to 246 beds and that detained mothers with children would not be transferred to this new facility. ICE also announced the construction of family housing units, capable of holding up to 60 families, and youth and recreational facilities would be operational by March 20. Currently family members are housed in a separate area of the Karnes County facility.
Meanwhile at Dilley Family Residential Center in south Texas, these facilities currently house almost 2,300 mothers and children. In October 2014 the company signed an agreement with ICE to build a second 2,400-bed capacity family detention facility in Dilley. After the company completed the first phase, construction on Phase 2 came to a halt. Today, in a surprise move and after reviewing the architecture and construction plans for Phase 2, ICE made the decision to terminate the remainder of the construction project.
“The fight against this program is far from over,” said Roma Tuma Arenas, Senior Policy Counsel at the National Immigration Law Center. “We will continue to push for the complete closure of these inhumane facilities and continue to defend mothers and children from this cruel and abusive practice. Detention is not the answer and we know that communities are safer when immigrant families are welcome in them.
The nation’s major pediatricians group issued a formal policy statement last November in opposition to family detention, saying that locking children and their mothers up for long periods constituted “a serious risk to the health and well-being of children,” and calling on federal officials to replace detention with noncustodial alternatives.
South Texas Family Residential Center and Karnes County Residential Center, owned and operated by Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), managed under a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Dilley Family Residential Center is also owned and operated by CCA, managed under a contract with ICE.
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