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Crow Receives Response from ICE Regarding Health Conditions at ICE and Contracted Detention Centers

July 1, 2019

Following his initial denial of entry on February 20th and confirmation of a mumps outbreak at the Aurora Contract Detention Facility, Rep. Jason Crow (CO-06) led a letter on February 28th to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The letter requested information from ICE regarding health conditions and response to outbreaks at facilities nationwide.

Four months later, Crow finally received a response. In its letter, ICE denies that it has an oversight role over health conditions at privately contract facilities, like the Aurora Contract Detention Facility.

Below please find a statement from Crow.

"Both here in Aurora and around the country, thousands of people are detained on behalf of ICE and sent to private, for-profit detention centers. It's stunning that ICE has turned its back on accountability and oversight of the conditions at these facilities. We've seen terrible conditions, mistreatment of detainees, and continued public health concerns, yet the agency in charge claims no responsibility over the private facilities," said Crow. "Moreover, it shouldn't take ICE - or any government agency - four months to respond to requests for information from Congress. If ICE won't take ownership, my office will continue to hold them and their facilities, public or private, accountable."

Earlier this year, Crow introduced the Public Oversight of Detention (POD) Act, a bill named after the pods that detainees have been confined to during viral disease outbreaks. The bill would ensure members of Congress have access to ICE and other DHS and HHS facilities within 48 hours of request. In June, Crow secured an amendment in the NDAA to prohibit defense funding to be used to house children forcibly separated from their parents.