Rep. Vargas Urges ICE and CoreCivic to Immediately Stop Cohorting at Detention Centers
Washington, D.C. (April 10, 2020) – Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement after sending a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and CoreCivic, which manages the Otay Mesa Detention Center, in response to the San Diego Union-Tribune story that ICE is keeping detainees, potentially exposed to the virus, in a “cohort.”
According to the article, the practice of cohorting forces detainees exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual to remain in the same pod until a 14-day period passes with no new cases.
“Forcing detainees to remain in a cohort where they are potentially exposed to a COVID-19 individual, will accelerate the spread of COVID-19. If this is correct, I demand that ICE and CoreCivic immediately end this practice as the outcome could be catastrophic.
“We cannot allow detention centers to become COVID-19 epicenters due to unnecessary crowding. As a result, I requested that they release nonviolent detainees earlier this week. Nonviolent detainees are not criminals and need to be released immediately in the best interest of the general public, as well as detention center personnel, and other detainees.
“Releasing nonviolent detainees may allow ICE and CoreCivic to implement social distancing, along with other necessary preventative measures recommended by the CDC. It is imperative that ICE and CoreCivic address these measures as they are responsible for ensuring that personnel and detainees are not at risk of a COVID-19 outbreak in their detention center.”
Vargas represents California’s 51st Congressional District which includes the southern portion of San Diego County, all of Imperial County and California’s entire U.S.-Mexico border. Vargas was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and is currently serving his fourth term in Congress. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee.
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