[Occupymendocino] Private for -profit prisons to end

[John]

HURRAH! SOME GOOD NEWS IN DARK TIMES.

 

From: occupymendocino-bounces at lists.mcn.org [mailto:occupymendocino-bounces at lists.mcn.org] On Behalf Of Richard Karch
Sent: Saturday, October 12, 2019 12:35 PM
To: occupymendocino at lists.mcn.org
Subject: [Occupymendocino] Private for -profit prisons to end

 

Private, for-profit prisons to end

State ban on facilities will include those used by federal agencies to hold immigrants

By

DON THOMPSON AND AMY TAXIN

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SACRAMENTO — California will ban the use of for-profit, private detention facilities, including those under contract to the federal government to hold immigrants awaiting deportation hearings, under a bill that Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that he had signed.

The Democratic governor said the measure helps fulfill a promise he made to end private prison use, which he said contributes to over-incarceration and does “not reflect our values.”

The state’s prison system was already phasing them out, despite having to comply with an inmate population cap imposed by federal judges.

Immigrant advocates have praised the bill authored by Democratic Assemblyman Rob Bonta, which they said would put an end to almost all immigration detention in California in the next year.

However, one private prison company said it expects most if not all of the law would fail a legal challenge, particularly requiring the federal government to end its contracts.

“States cannot lawfully pass legislation mandating the closure of federal facilities that displease them on the basis of ideological differences,” The Geo Group of Adelanto said in a statement.

California has been at the forefront of resisting President Donald Trump’s efforts to deport those who are in the country illegally and has a so-called “sanctuary state” law that restricts police from asking people about their immigration status or participating in federal immigration enforcement actions.

The new measure prohibits the state corrections department from renewing contracts starting next year and from housing any state inmates in private, for-profit prisons starting in 2028.

“We are sending a powerful message that we vehemently oppose the practice of profiteering off the backs of Californians in custody,” Bonta said.

California previously halted growth in local government contracts to house immigration detainees. After that, populous Orange County south of Los Angeles and other local governments ended their contracts to hold detainees for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Four dedicated immigration detention facilities remain in California with an average daily population of about 3,700 detainees. ICE has previously said the largest one, run by The Geo Group, has a temporary contract set to expire in 2020, as does another facility in Bakersfield.

ICE’s acting press secretary, Bryan Cox, said immigration enforcement would still take place, noting that California accounts for less than 10% of the agency’s detention capacity.

He said the impact “would be felt primarily by residents of California who would theoretically have to travel greater distances to visit friends and family in custody.”

Christina Fialho, co-founder of Freedom for Immigrants, said she doesn’t believe ICE could legally extend the contracts ending in 2020.

“Within the next year, private immigration detention will be abolished for good in California,” she said, adding that rural Yuba County in Northern California still has a contract to detain immigrants but may also soon end it. “This is huge.”

  <http://us5lb-cdn.newsmemory.com/eebrowser/ipad/html5.check.2530/ajax-request.php?val=Image_0.jpg&action=loadImage&type=Image&pSetup=santarosapressdemocrat_bb&issue=20191012&crc=pd03b101219_120000.pdf.0&edition=Santa%20Rosa%20Press%20Democrat&mtime=084500&paperImage=santarosapressdemocrat>   <http://santarosapressdemocrat.ca.newsmemory.com/eebrowser/ipad/html5.check.2530/code/icons/usa/zoom_in.png> 

Assemblyman Rob Bonta, D-Oakland, second from left, flanked by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, center, and other lawmakers on Friday in Sacramento, discusses his measure that will ban the use of for-profit, private detention facilities. RICH PEDRONCELLI / ASSOCIATED PRESS

 

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