[ad_1]
"ICE takes the findings of the OIG seriously and has agreed to conduct a full and immediate review of the center to ensure compliance with the detention standards and to expedite the necessary corrective actions," said the spokeswoman. Lori Haley agency in a statement.
Immigrant rights advocates said the troubling conclusions of the government guardian's report echo the concerns they have been raising for years about this facility. and others like it. But even they seemed stunned by certain details that the inspectors uncovered:
Nooses have been found in more than a dozen cells
According to the report, braided sheets hanging from air vents – called nooses by staff and detainees – were found in about 15 cells inspected. The report states that it is a violation of ICE standards and "reflects a disregard for the health and safety of inmates".
One detainee told the inspectors: "I saw some suicide attempts using the braided sheets near the vents, and then the guards mocked them and called them" suicide failure "a times back from the medical service. "
Inmates also noted that sheets were sometimes used to create intimacy in cells or as a clothesline. However, since a man died after being found hanging from his sheets in a Adelanto cell in March 2017 and that at least seven suicide attempts occurred in the house. establishment, the report states that the ICE should give priority to solving the problem.
"The lack of response from ICE to address this issue at the Adelanto Center demonstrates contempt for the health and safety of the detainees," the report says.
A disabled inmate was "improperly maintained" in solitary confinement for several days
A disabled inmate requested to be placed in administrative segregation but was placed in disciplinary segregation and "inappropriately detained" for nine days, according to the report. ICE uses "disciplinary isolation" to describe the practice more commonly known as solitary confinement.
"Based on our review of the file," says the report, "during those nine days, the inmate never left his wheelchair to sleep in a bed or brush his teeth … We also saw medical staff just look in his cell and stamp his doctor's record card rather than evaluate the inmate in accordance with ICE standards. "
After the inspectors had raised the issue with a health services administrator, the detainee had been transferred to a medical center for observation, according to the report.
An inmate reported that his teeth had fallen while he was waiting for dental care
Another detainee questioned by the inspectors said he had been waiting for more than two years for the cavities to be filled and for several teeth to have escaped in the meantime.
"Our interviews with the detainees and our review of medical records revealed that they were placed on waiting lists for months and sometimes years to receive basic dental care, resulting in the loss of teeth. and unnecessary extractions in some cases, "says the report.
A review of the files revealed that no inmates had been provided in the past four years.
"When we asked one of the dentists why the fillings had not been done, he said that he had barely time to clean the sand, so he did not shutter, "says the report.
Inspectors say the ICE should conduct a "comprehensive review" of the facility
The ICE should conduct a comprehensive review of the facility and management of the GEO group, said the Inspector General. Haley, spokeswoman for ICE, said the agency subscribed to this recommendation.
"Adelanto, like all ICE detention centers, is subject to strict and regular inspections, and any compliance issues found during such reviews must be resolved quickly," she said.
GEO Group did not immediately respond to requests for comments. The company purchased the premises in 2010 and entered into an agreement to house ICE detainees in 2011.
In a statement included in the OIG report, ICE announced that it would conduct its own inspections of facilities this month to determine whether they comply with the agency's detention standards.
"The safety, rights and health of the detainees entrusted to ICE are paramount.The findings of the OIG are of concern to ICE," wrote Nathalie Asher, deputy director general of the ICE for control and removal operations. "However, the preliminary report of the OIG lacks important context on certain issues.For example, when a disciplinary offense is committed, it may be necessary to remove the detainee from the general population while the case is doing the subject of an investigation to ensure the safety and security of the establishment. "
Lawyers say that past warnings have not been taken into account
Immigrant advocacy organizations have long criticized the Adelanto center, where more than 1,600 immigrants men and women were detained during the inspectors' visit in May.
On Tuesday, defenders argued that the government's watchdog report showed that officials had not taken meaningful steps to deal with complaints that had taken several years.
This is not the first time the Inspector General has warned of detention problems in the framework of the CIE.
The agency maintains that it ensures that facilities meet standards through a "dynamic inspection program" and an oversight office to conduct compliance inspections and review inmate deaths.
Sonia Moghe, Chris Boyette and Stephanie Becker from CNN contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
Source link
