Last year, a federal women’s prison in Dublin was shut down after more than a half-dozen staff members were either charged with, or convicted of, sexually abusing female inmates. The closure resulted in a 116 million dollar payout to more than 100 women, who sued the facility.
Last week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement — or ICE — officials visited the now empty women’s prison to assess its potential use as an immigrant detention facility.
Usually ICE detainees are held in ICE processing centers, private prisons, and local jails that work with ICE. But officials are widening their search for detention facilities.
The Trump administration has promised to deport millions of people. But, according to the Associated Press, ICE only has the budget to detain a little more than 40,000 people.
Advocates and prison officials are worried about the potential repurposing of the Dublin facility. Court documents show that the facility has a black mold and asbestos issue, among other structural concerns. Repairs could cost tens of millions of dollars.
