New information comes from FOIA litigation as President-elect Donald Trump promises to enact mass deportations on day one.
LAS VEGAS—Records obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union reveal that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is actively considering proposals to expand its immigration detention capacity in Nevada. The documents, obtained as a result of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the ACLU in September, disclose proposals submitted by private prison corporations to expand immigration detention in response to ICE’s contract requests.
The proposals from GEO Group, CoreCivic, and the MTC Corporation seek to expand detention capacity and facilities across the country, several of which have a lengthy history of abusive conditions — including Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump, which has been subject to a federal investigation for medical negligence, racial discrimination, and verbal abuse of detained people.
Although Nevada policymakers turned away from the use of private prisons several years ago, the federal government’s immigration detention system overwhelmingly relies on private prison corporations.
ACLU of Nevada executive director Athar Haseebullah said:
"The ACLU’s investigation into ICE’s plans reveals a dangerous push to expand immigration detention facilities across the country, including here in Nevada. Expanding ICE presence in Nevada will tear families apart, erode trust in law enforcement, and make Nevada less safe. If the Trump administration’s approach to immigration is effectuated as described, it would wreck Nevada’s economy. ACLU of Nevada will challenge mass deportation efforts in Nevada as they unfold, but it’s more important than ever for our state and local elected officials to step up for Nevada families and communities. Tweets aren’t enough, and we can’t allow Nevada to become a breeding ground for bigotry as the for-profit prison industrial complex lines its own pockets. We need transparency and action, and that starts with Governor Lombardo speaking openly to the public and the media to discuss his administration’s plans to cooperate with the Trump Administration on mass deportations.”
A copy of the FOIA records is attached.
