500 signatures reached
To: Michelle Steel, Chairwoman, Andrew Do, Vice Chair, Todd Spitzer, Supervisor, Shawn Nelson, Supervisor, and Lisa Bartlett, Supervisor
Orange County Board of Supervisors: say NO to more ICE beds at Theo Lacy Facility and end the con...
Orange County immigrant families and community members continue to be at risk of detention under horrific conditions and deportation because of our County’s contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The risk will only increase if the Orange County Board of Supervisors agrees to expand the number of immigrants it will hold each day for ICE.
Why is this important?
Repeatedly, horror stories about conditions for immigrants detained at Theo Lacy Facility have been exposed through stakeholder inspections and complaints submitted to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties by brave, directly-impacted persons, with detailed accountsof physical abuse, threats, retaliation and gravely inadequate medical care. A recent inspection by DHS’ own Office of Inspector General found showers full of “trash, mildew, and mold” and that the facility was serving “slimy, foul-smelling lunch meat” that appeared to be spoiled. Despite retaliation, conditions inside the facility are so dire that immigrants detained at Theo Lacy have gone on hunger strike twice in the last year and a half.
The Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) has continuously proven to be unfit to detain anyone; no one should have to suffer under these conditions. It is unconscionable that either ICE or OCSD are even considering an expansion when serious life-threatening problems are wide-spread and continue unaddressed inside the facility. Because of these horrific conditions, and the continued risk of detention and deportation for our families and community members, we demand that Orange County Board of Supervisors say NO to an increase to ICE bed spaces and terminate the contract with ICE at Theo Lacy Facility.