By Matt Underwood A flurry of 911 calls from the ICE detention site near San Antonio is painting a disturbing picture, and the subject matter of these calls is alarming. These calls, originating from within the walls of the facility, speak volumes about the conditions endured by those detained. Reports suggest that calls from staff, detainees, and visiting family members have all highlighted a range of serious issues.
The conditions described inside, from reports of suicide attempts and allegations of sexual abuse to the health issues faced by pregnant inmates, are troubling. Immigrant advocates are raising serious concerns, and the focus is on the South Texas ICE Processing Center (“Pearsall”). It seems that the company managing the facility, GEO Group, has been running it with a punitive approach for decades.
The JAMA Network’s report brings into focus the high rate of preventable deaths in ICE detention facilities across the nation. This is due to substandard medical care. Many of the deceased were relatively young, under 43, and had no prior health issues. A significant portion of deaths were attributed to preventable causes like COVID-19 and suicide. The report highlights failures, including a lack of recognition of serious illnesses, medical staff ignoring health concerns, and delays in providing emergency care.
Concerning reports of inadequate medical care aren’t new. There are tales of the on-site medical facility prescribing water for a myriad of health problems. There are also instances of over-medication, especially with psychotropic drugs, that render people compliant. The facilities are essentially “zombifying” people who don’t follow their rules.
The number of deaths may be inaccurately reported, and that the extent of these issues may not be revealed truthfully. The conditions described appear to be intentional. It is no surprise that profit-driven corporations are involved. The fact that this is a for-profit entity explains a lot. Medical care is expensive, so instead of providing care, they’re trying to offload the responsibility and the associated costs to the local community. This “race to the bottom” approach results in unsafe, unhealthy, and emotionally unstable conditions for the detainees.
It’s essential to recognize these facilities for what they are: Immigrant Internment Camps. A failure to provide for the health and safety of those in custody means loss of contract, facility audits, and a halt to future related contract bids. The length of time these issues have gone on, nearly twenty years, raises the question of why there hasn’t been more significant media coverage. The media seems to be overlooking this and that’s an issue.
The stories of sexual abuse are also disturbing. The government is just asking for the worst case scenario to happen, and it appears they will get it. It raises the question of when “oops” crosses the line to murder. The failures and the potential abuses should be addressed, with legal charges brought.