SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A federal judge ordered the Otay Detention Center to allow the San Diego County health officials to complete a health inspection Wednesday.
In March, San Diego County filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, ICE and CoreCivic after officials said they were denied access to conduct a full public health inspection at the Otay Detention Center.
In May, Judge James E. Simmons signaled the county would likely be able to conduct a full health inspection of the detention center.
Simmons ordered the inspection to take place no later than June 17, along with other stipulations, which include:
- Giving the county a full day to complete the inspection.
- Giving full access to the facility, including the medical, food preparation, and housing areas.
- Allowing the inspection team to speak with any detainee who is willing to speak with the team.
- The inspection team may total up to four people, including the County Public Health Officer, consultants from NCCHC Resources, and a representative from the Department of Environmental Health and Quality.
- Allowing the inspection team to review detainee medical records as required to complete BSCC Health Inspection checklists.
- Reasonable cooperation between the plaintiff and the defendants.
On May 11, two San Diego-area members of Congress toured the detention center but were not allowed to speak with detainees after being given a memo announcing a new policy from acting ICE Director Todd Lyons requiring members of Congress to request permission to speak with detainees two days in advance.
A report from the California Attorney General's Office revealed "serious concerns about these facilities' ability to safely detain a growing detainee population and underscore the need for greater accountability and oversight,'' according to a statement from the California Attorney General's Office.
