In an email provided to AZCIR at 8:58 a.m., April 13, 2020:
ICE is responsible for providing safe and secure detention for individuals in its custody. On April
11, at the La Palma Correctional Center, contract facility staff deployed oleoresin capsicum,
commonly referred to as “OC” spray, after a group of detainees became confrontational and
refused to comply with repeated verbal directives given by staff in an attempt to de-escalate the
situation, however the detainees refused to comply. Upon deployment of OC, the detainees
became compliant and facility staff were able to mitigate further risk of injury to both detainees
and staff.
This calculated use of force was conducted consistent with agency protocol. As part of
decontamination procedures, medical staff evaluated all individuals exposed and no detainee or
staff injuries were reported. All persons were medically evaluated after the incident. No other
medical evaluation was deemed necessary.
-- Yasmeen Pitts O’Keefe, ICE Public Affairs Officer