SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego Democratic Congress members Mike Levin and Sarah Jacobs toured the Otay Mesa Detention Center on Thursday, months after the county was denied access for a separate public health inspection.
The tour was granted after the representatives gave seven days' advance notice. While inside the facility, Levin and Jacobs say they saw medical facilities, a holding area, and tasted some of the food.
"The way we just saw things operating this morning, how much of that was for us vs. how much is the standard ordinary course of how they conduct business day in and day out," Levin said.
The visit comes after their colleagues, including Rep. Juan Vargas and Sen. Alex Padilla, were denied tours in recent months. Levin and Jacobs had not been previously denied access to this facility.
The county was also denied a pre-approved public health inspection in February. Officials have since sued the Department of Homeland Security and CoreCivic, which operates the ICE facility, to gain access.
Supervisor Paloma Aguirre said the congressional tour on Thursday changes nothing regarding the county's legal action, noting that a county health officer's inspection is different from a congressional tour.
"That's good that they were allowed to enter. They should allow us to enter as well," Aguirre said.
Aguirre said the county public health officer goes through a very rigorous checklist during their inspection.
"We create a report that then we turn over to Congress members, and then they have the ability to make decisions based on that report," Aguirre said.
The county has a hearing for its case in early May. CoreCivic and DHS have not commented on the pending litigation.
Levin and Jacobs said they will return for unannounced visits.
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