O?ice of Enforcement and Removal Operations

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
500 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC. 20536

 

JUN '1 9 2015

Michael Kaufman, Esq.

Staff Attorney

ACLU of Southern California
1313 West 8th Street

Los Angeles, CA 90017

Dear Mr. Kaufman:

Thank you for your May 15, 2015 letter regarding the provision of health services at the
Adelanto Detention Facility. I appreciate the Opportunity to address your concerns and describe
the actions the agency is taking to improve medical care. 

US. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is committed to providing all
detainees in its custody with timely, safe, humane, and appropriate treatment, including medical
and mental health care. As such, the Adelanto Detention Facility, operated by The GEO Group,
is regularly reviewed against the agency?s 2011 Performance Based National Detention
Standards the most rigorous operating requirements currently imposed by ICE. In
2014, ICE conducted two comprehensive inspections of the Adelanto Detention Facility to assess
compliance with the ICE 2011 and found instances of non-compliance in several areas.
Findings of non-compliance with ICE detention standards are addressed through corrective
action plans designed by ICE to allow the facility to achieve full compliance within prescribed
timelines. Historically, The GEO Group has shown a consistent willingness to timely correct
de?ciencies and areas of non-compliance.

ICE is sensitive to the importance of the issues raised by the ACLU of Southern
California and is actively working with The GEO Group?s corporate office to ensure that the
facility is ready to accept a larger and more diverse detainee population under the planned
facility expansion. Measures- include: I) ensuring the facility has appropriately trained and
experienced medical staff; 2) ensuring the medical staff has received both security and medical
training on the clinical aspects of female and transgender care, from intake through the duration
of detention; 3) providing additional medical and administrative staff, as well as additional
medical examination rooms and equipment; and 4) ensuring the medical department provides
daily oversight and supervision of the medical records processes and procedures, including
timely documentation of medical care.



Michael Kaufman, Esq.
Page 2

ICE remains committed to continually evaluating and improving detainee care and is
working to identify systematic ways to reform and improve medical and mental health care at the

wide range of facilities ICE uses, including the Adelanto Detention Facility.

Thank you again for your letter and your interest in this important matter. Should you
wish to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact me at (202) 732?3100.

Sincerely,

 

Custody Management