Health and human rights violations at immigration detention centers

The San Diego immigration detention facility is run by the nation's largest private prison company, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). CCA operates the detention center under contract to the Department of Homeland Security and generates revenue by shortchanging human rights.

From charging detainees for basic necessities such as water and toilet paper to placing three detainees in a cell that was built for two to denying critical medical care, CCA has made record profits off of immigrant detainees at the expense of their health and well-being.

As a result of CCA's substandard care, immigrant detainees repeatedly suffer harm and some have died. The most recent death occurred this year after a detainee was denied a biopsy to determine whether he had cancer and was held for several more months before being released after it was too late to treat the cancer. Despite legal challenges brought by the ACLU and others, CCA continues to act with virtual impunity.

Now CCA is attempting to build a mega-detention center next to its existing facility in San Diego near the Otay border crossing. If built, it would become the largest immigrant detention facility in the United States. Because of CCA's repeated mistreatment of detainees and lack of accountability, the ACLU and its allies are deeply concerned about any new or expanded contract for CCA that would reward its bad behavior.