A freshly built facility dedicated to immigration detention in California City is nearing its launch, even against the backdrop of resistances from various segments of the community. The city recently saw a significant number of individuals, including those who made considerable efforts to visit from other cities, pleading with the City Council during Tuesday’s meeting to obstruct the grand opening of the centre. However, city representatives clarified that the extent of their power in this matter is quite limited. There appears to be a widespread misconception that the city has the authority to prevent this facility’s inauguration, but the reality is straightforward – they don’t have such power.
The centre under controversy is actually a repurposed prison, previously capable of holding 2,560 inmates, that had shut its doors in 2023. Upon coming to service, it would become the largest facility for immigration detention in the entire state, and the third of its kind in Kern County. There already exist two such facilities under the supervision of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Kern County, one situated in Bakersfield and the other in McFarland.
Plenty of people seem to overestimate the city’s power in dictating terms to private property owners who possess the appropriate permits. The city’s jurisdiction does not stretch to the extent of interfering in the business activities of those who have fulfilled all the necessary requirements. Simply put, the city has no control over any business that has effectively complied with all the required regulations, leaving no room for any exceptions. Each industry must be treated equally by the city.
There may be questions in regard to statutory or constitutional issues; such concerns are better addressed by the authorities overseeing the company, or by reaching out to federal agencies. As a city official, I wholeheartedly believe that everyone, without exception, deserves the right to due process. I’ve conveyed my wish for the city to gain access and have a supervisory role over the center’s operations, ensuring fair and humane treatment for all detainees under its care.
The city shoulders a moral obligation to ensure equitable treatment from all the businesses operating within its boundaries. A popular belief among some of the critics is that detainees are already being accommodated at the site. However, the truth is the only personnel at the site currently are the company’s personnel tasked with operating the facility. At the recent City Council meeting, no one testified in favor of the facility and the City Council, including the mayor, offered no comments.
This facility, widely known as the California City Immigration Processing Center, is in collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Initial operations for the center have already been set into motion by the company responsible. It must be clarified that the company’s role in the larger context of the national immigration system is somewhat restricted but still holds significance.
The company does not carry out fulsome immigration law enforcement. It isn’t accountable for apprehending those who might be in violation of these laws, nor does it carry any influence over the process of an individual’s deportation or release. Furthermore, the company is oblivious to the specifics surrounding the case of an individual at the point of their intake into the facility.
It is the company’s mission to maintain a respectful and humane environment for every individual under its care while they undergo their due legal process. Having a significant presence in California City for the past quarter-century, the company claims that activating this facility will result in the creation of approximately 500 new jobs with satisfactory remuneration. It is anticipated that this will also boost the city’s income with an over-$2-million injection in property taxes.
Assurances have been given that the facility will not be releasing detainees into the general population. It vouches to operate under strong oversight and transparency, including ongoing audits and stationed onsite monitors. It is clear that both the company and its government agency partners are firmly dedicated to ensuring a high standard of humane care and attention.
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