California police have received hundreds of emergency calls about abuse inside private ICE detention centers–yet only three cases of reported abuse of detainees resulted in charges. Of 41 calls claiming a detention center staff member was the victim, however, 12 resulted in charges (article available here).
A Times investigation found that since 2017, at least 265 calls made to police through 911 and nonemergency lines have reported violence and abuse inside California’s four privately run federal detention centers overseen by ICE. Half the calls alleged sex crimes, including rape, sexual assault and abuse against detainees. The rest were to report assault, battery and other threats of violence against detainees and staff.
What emerged is a picture of a system in which violence can be perpetuated against detainees with impunity, both by other detainees and facility staff. Detainees were banned from calling 911, according to ICE, and forced to rely on others to report allegations on their behalf.