California ICE Detainee Lawsuit Alleges 14 Months of Solitary Confinement, Abuse
An ICE detainee alleges that he was kept in solitary confinement for 14 months and denied basic rights required during protective custody.
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A California lawsuit filed by ICE detainee Carlos Murillo Vega alleges that he was kept in 23-hour a day solitary confinement for 14 months and denied basic rights by staff at a private prison detention facility in Calexico, California, operated by Utah-based Management and Training Corporation, reports the Washington Post. Murillo’s lawsuit is the first case to be filed under a California law passed in 2020 aimed at bringing private immigration facilities into compliance with detention standards outlined in their contracts. The law allows detainees to sue if those standards are not met.
The Imperial Regional Detention Facility, according to the lawsuit, did not assess whether Murillo was psychologically fit for solitary confinement, nor did it provide the man with basic rights required during protective custody, including visitations and trips outside. Moreover, it did not frequently evaluate Murillo as it is required to do, according to the lawsuit. Murillo is suing for monetary damages, alleging that MTC intentionally inflicted emotional distress, was negligent and violated the detention standards required by ICE.
