KQED's Forum Is California’s Largest ICE Detention Center Operating Legally?
Oct 6, 2025
Tyche Hendricks, a senior immigration editor at KQED, discusses California City's contentious new ICE detention facility, revealing claims of inadequate permits and railroading concerns. Sam Levin, a criminal justice reporter for The Guardian US, shares harrowing detainee accounts of poor conditions and hunger strikes. Mayor Marquette Hawkins offers insights on local division between job hopes and rights concerns, while legal expert Vikram Amar examines state authority limits over federal contracts, foreshadowing significant legal challenges ahead.
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Detainees Describe Hunger Strikes And Isolation
- Several detainees described filthy cells, backed-up toilets, and delayed medications when California City opened.
- Some detainees staged sit-ins and hunger strikes and were moved to isolation as a result.
Rushed Opening Linked To Operational Failures
- Multiple sources said the facility opened in a rush while permits and inspections were incomplete.
- That rushed opening likely contributed to supply shortages, missed medications, and chaotic operations.
Permit And State-Law Oversight Are Central Issues
- Advocates argue CoreCivic lacked a business license and needed a new conditional use permit under city rules.
- State laws like SB29 and recent inspection powers add layers of oversight that so far haven't been fully used.
