By Jeanine Grimes
OAKLAND, CA – California Attorney General Bonta announced this week the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) report on immigration detention facilities, focusing on the pandemic response at detention facilities in the second half of 2021.
In short, the report indicated that, while the number of ICE detainees dwindled in the state in 2021, rights—such as allowing visitors—were diminished, vaccination rates of detainees largely mirrored the outside world and detainees were provided for in most instances, but not inside jail cells.
AG Bonta’s report reviewed how the seven immigration detention facilities operating in California responded to the pandemic in the latter half of 2021, shining a light on the conditions of confinement and compliance with public health and safety measures.
The attorney general said it was intended that the report would provide members of the public and policymakers with critical information about the conditions under which people in civil immigration detention in California live.
He noted that “navigating our [California’s] immigration system is never easy and it is clear from the report that the pandemic added new layers of uncertainty for immigrants in federal custody.”
In response to the concerns for the public health and safety of the detainees in the immigration detention facilities, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 103 in 2017 that requires the Department of Justice to review and report on the conditions of confinement at the immigration detention facilities up through July 1, 2007.
Many of the concerns still remain intact with the detention facilities that are still operating, according to the report.
The DOJ team, along with correctional officers and medical professionals, held inspections throughout October and December 2021 at the seven facilities.
In addition, the DOJ interviewed the detainees and staff, reviewed records and analyzed documentation, which also included facility logs, schedules and policies/protocols in relation to COVID-19.
The report’s most recent observations include:
The number of detainees significantly decreased at facilities, but at the same time the length of stay increased.
Once detainees experienced symptoms, they were generally tested within 24 hours. Those who were COVID positive were isolated and treated/monitored.
The facilities provided masks and required that detainees use the masks outside of the housing unit, but they were not required inside.
The vaccination rates widely varied, from 72 percent to 36 percent to 58 percent at the different immigration detention facilities.
The majority of facilities, except Yuba, suspended visitors in March 2020 and did not reinstate visitation for more than a year and a half later.
Services such as religious, classes, recreation, legal and other programs were reduced due to the pandemic.
