Multiple speakers on Oct. 21 told the Kern County Board of Supervisors they had direct reports of inadequate medical care, sanitation problems and restricted access to clothing and medication at the immigration detention facility in California City.

Jeannie Parent, coordinator with an immigrant-welcome group, said a detainee transferred from Mesa Verde was not given prescribed medication after the transfer and described limits on yard time and access to clothing: “She has been there over a month and she has yet to get her medication.” Several other speakers described similar complaints about sanitation, medical access and alleged suicides and attempted suicides at that facility.

Why it matters: The detention center houses noncitizens under federal contract. Public commenters urged the county to act because the facilities are located in Kern County and because local taxpayers and residents have raised health and humanitarian concerns.

County review and legal limits: County counsel told the board the county lacks authority to unilaterally close federally contracted facilities. Counsel also summarized oversight mechanisms available: several Department of Homeland Security offices (including the Office of the Inspector General and the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) oversight offices, congressional staff and state-level mechanisms — including a limited inspection authority under state law that has been used in only one county inspection since the statute took effect.

Board action: The board voted to refer the matter — asking for clarification of legal responsibilities and noting public comments — to federal and state agencies that have detention oversight authority. The referral (moved by Supervisor Peters) specifically asked county staff to notify relevant DHS offices and state agencies and to request guidance on the county’s legal authority to inspect or otherwise address reported conditions. The motion passed unanimously.

Next steps: County staff will prepare letters and seek formal legal and operational clarity from the agencies named in county counsel’s summary. The board also requested a public explanation of what the county can and cannot do under current federal and state law.