World News | Reports Finds Unsafe Conditions in New Mexico Migrant Jail
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. A government watchdog has found unsanitary and unsafe conditions at a New Mexico jail used to hold migrants and says it should be immediately closed.
Washington, Mar 18 (AP) A government watchdog has found unsanitary and unsafe conditions at a New Mexico jail used to hold migrants and says it should be immediately closed.
The Department of Homeland Security Inspector General said in a report released Friday that there are security lapses throughout the Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia, New Mexico and said all detainees should be immediately removed.
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There were 176 male prisoners at the time of the February inspection of the privately owned and operated jail. They are held while immigration cases are reviewed.
The report said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement disagreed with the findings and disputed the report.
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“We recommend the immediate relocation of all detainees from the facility unless and until the facility ensures adequate staffing and appropriate living conditions,” the report said.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.
CoreCivic, which operates the jail under a contract with ICE, denied the findings, accused the OIG inspectors of misrepresenting evidence and asked for a formal review of their behavior.
“This deliberate effort to falsely portray our company and this facility in a negative light is even more disturbing because it was done under the guise of legitimate oversight. We're asking for an immediate review of the conduct of the inspectors,” Steve Owen, a vice president for communications, said in an email.
The jail has been the site of several disturbances, including a November 2000 uprising in which inmates eight guards were injured, two critically. (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)