There are a variety of situations in which a person from a foreign country could end up in immigration detention here in California. One would hope all immigration detention facilities in the state would act properly when it comes to the safety and health of detainees. A recent report raises serious questions about the conditions at a facility here in Orange County.
The facility in question is a detention center in the city of Orange. The facility currently holds around 500 immigration detainees. It is run by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
This facility was the subject of a recent report by the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The report included findings from a surprise inspection of the center from last November.
The report noted reports of various health and safety concerns at the facility, including reports of:
- Commingling of low-risk and high-risk detainees.
- Moldy showers.
- Unsafe handling of food.
- Spoiled food.
One wonders what impacts this report will have on what steps federal, state and local government agencies take regarding conditions at the above-mentioned facility and other immigration detention centers in the state.
In addition to the conditions they are in, another thing that can be incredibly impactful for an immigration detainee is whether their legal rights are being respected during the immigration detention process. So, when a person from a foreign country is facing immigration detention here in the U.S., they may want to seek out a skilled immigration attorney’s help. Such lawyers can provide immigration detainees with information on their legal rights and guidance on protecting such rights and responding when such rights appear to have been violated.
Source: NBC4, “Watchdog: Spoiled Food, Safety Risks at Southern California Immigration Facility,” March 8, 2017