ICE Accountability Report
Following a series of disturbing reports at immigration detention centers around the country and refusal by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to claim responsibility for the medical conditions at private, for-profit detention centers, Congressman Jason Crow is stepping in to provide the oversight that ICE has failed to fill. On July 9, 2019, his office announced they will be conducting weekly visits of the Aurora Contract Detention Facility every Monday at 12:00pm. With the POD Act enacted into law, today Crow and his team do a mix of unannounced and scheduled visits to the facility each month.
The goal of these visits is to obtain information about the treatment of the detainees and possible public health crises. Upon completion of each tour, Crow will release the report on his website to inform the public of the information obtained by his office.
Background
In February of 2019, following multiple cases of disease outbreaks at the Aurora Contract Detention Facility operated for ICE by GEO Group, Congressman Crow made an unannounced visit to the federal facility where he was denied entry. Ultimately, Crow was denied entry for 24 days. Since his first days in office, Crow has been a leader in the fight for governmental transparency and accountability.
Below please find outline a timeline of events relating to the Aurora Contract Detention Facility and Crow’s work holding ICE accountable.
Timeline of Events
February 11: Crow holds conference call with detainees at the Aurora Contract Detention Facility (“Facility”) and immigration lawyers to discuss disturbing reports regarding the conditions the facility
February 20: Crow makes unannounced visit to Facility and sends letter to DHS Secretary Nielsen regarding public health concerns at the facility. Following concerns raised by Crow, ICE reveals a mumps outbreak
February 21: Crow leads call with the Tri-County Health Department and the Colorado Health Department to discuss public health concerns
February 28: Crow leads coalition letter with nine other members of Congress to ICE Acting Director Vitiello demanding answers on public health risks at immigration detention facility and ICE’s oversight role
March 1: Crow requests tour of facility and is denied
March 4: Crow requests tour of facility and is denied. Media is given a tour of the facility
March 15: 24 days after his initial request, Crow is given entry and tour of the facility
April 4: Crow leads letter with 19 other colleagues to Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Chairwoman and Ranking Member to include language allowing Members of Congress into all detention facilities within 48 hours of request
April 16: Crow obtains copy of the 2011 contract between ICE and GEO Group through a public website
May 20: Crow introduces Public Oversight of Detention Center (POD) Act, a bill to require members of Congress to gain access to federal immigration detention centers within 48 hours of request
June 12: Crow successfully secures amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act to prohibit defense spending to be used to house forcibly separated children from their families
June 25: Four months after sending letter to ICE,Crow receives response where ICE denies responsibility for medical conditions at private, for-profit detention centers
June 26: Crow partners with Rep. Joe Neguse to request congressional hearing to investigate activities of GEO Group
June 28: Four months after sending letter to DHS, Crow receives response
July 9: Crow launches weekly visits to the facility
December 20: POD Act is signed into law as part of a FY 2020 spending bill, allowing all members of Congress to access immigration detention facilities with no notice, and for congressional staff to gain entry with only 24 hours notice
Report Template
A template of the accountability report that the office of Rep. Crow will be using can be seen here. Questions are based on ICE’s Performance-Based National Standards, updated as of 2016.
Reports
February 2021
February 24, 2021: Electronic Request Completed
February 17, 2021: Electronic Request Completed
February 10, 2021: In-Person Visit/Electronic Request Completed
February 3, 2021: Electronic Request Completed
January 2021
January 27, 2021: Electronic Request Completed
January 20, 2021: Electronic Request Completed
January 13, 2021: Electronic Request Completed
January 6, 2021: Electronic Request Completed
December 2020
December 30, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
December 21, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
December 14, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
December 9, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
December 2, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
November 2020
November 25, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
November 18, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
November 11, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
November 4, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
October 2020
October 28, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
October 21, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
October 14, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
October 7, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
September 2020
September 30, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
September 23, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
September 16, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
September 11, 2020: In-Person Visit/Electronic Request Completed
September 2, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
August 2020
August 26, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
August 19, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
August 12, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
August 5, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
July 2020
July 28, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
July 22, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
July 15, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
July 8, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
July 1, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
June 2020
June 24, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
June 17, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
June 10, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
June 3, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
May 2020
May 27, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
May 20, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
May 11, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
May 4, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
April 2020
April 27, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
April 20, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
April 13, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
April 6, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
March 2020
March 30, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
March 25, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
March 20, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
March 9, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
March 2, 2020: Electronic Request Completed
February 2020
Febraury 24, 2020: Oversight Visit Completed
February 18, 2020: Oversight Visit Completed
February 10, 2020: Oversight Visit Completed
February 3, 2020: Oversight Visit Completed
January 2020
January 27, 2020: Oversight Visit Completed
January 21, 2020: Oversight Visit Completed
January 13, 20202: Oversight Visit Completed
January 6, 2020: Oversight Visit Completed
January 2, 2020: Oversight Visit Completed
December 2019
December 23, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
December 16, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
December 9, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
December 2, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
November 2019
November 25, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
November 18, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
November 12, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
November 4, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
October 2019
October 28, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
October 21, 2019: Oversight Visit Denied
October 15, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
October 7, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
September 2019
September 30, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
September 23, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
September 16, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
September 9, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
September 3, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
August 2019
August 26, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
August 19, 2019: Oversight Visit Denied
August 12, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
August 5, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
July 2019
July 15, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
July 22, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed
July 29, 2019: Oversight Visit Completed