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Residents and advocates press California City Council to suspend CoreCivic operations and require conditional use permit
Summary
Dozens of residents, former detainees and advocates urged California City leaders to suspend operations at the CoreCivic-run California City Detention Facility, enforce local licensing and require a discretionary conditional use permit and additional public hearings under SB 29.
Dozens of residents, formerly detained people and immigrant-rights groups told the California City Council on Jan. 27 that the CoreCivic-run detention facility in the city is operating unlawfully and endangering detainees, urging the council to suspend operations and require a conditional use permit.
At the meeting, Amanda Diaz, program director for Freedom for Immigrants, cited recent intake reports and said detainees had described medical neglect and insufficient food and hygiene supplies. "Since being transferred to California City over 2 weeks ago, I have not seen a medical provider," she said, relaying testimony presented to the council. Other speakers — including formerly detained people and attorneys — described clogged sinks, filthy water, delays in medical care and alleged retaliation against people who complained.
Advocates asked the council to require CoreCivic to apply for a discretionary conditional use permit and to follow SB 29’s hearing requirements, which they said call for multiple hearings before the planning commission and city council and extended public notice. Chris Howard Ruiz, senior managing attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, cited monitoring work and reports that alleged inadequate medical care, excessive use of solitary confinement and other deficiencies; he urged the council to use local code enforcement tools to hold the company accountable.
Speakers also raised concerns about the facility’s scale and local infrastructure impacts: presenters said the facility can house more than 1,400 people now and was designed to expand substantially, which, they argued, will strain water, sewer and emergency services if left unexamined.
Council did not take formal enforcement action at the meeting. Staff gave short responses where appropriate and councilmembers asked staff to bring related items forward for consideration; the council noted that it may calendar future items for formal consideration. The council’s procedural decisions and any follow-up will determine whether the city pursues a discretionary permit, enforcement action or further hearings.
The council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 10; staff indicated it will return on selected items and that community members may request calendaring of additional items.
