{"id":6050,"date":"2021-05-21T09:37:26","date_gmt":"2021-05-21T14:37:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/labmind\/?p=6050"},"modified":"2021-05-21T09:37:56","modified_gmt":"2021-05-21T14:37:56","slug":"georgia-ocilla-immigration-detention-center-to-close","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/labmind\/2021\/05\/georgia-ocilla-immigration-detention-center-to-close.html","title":{"rendered":"Georgia Ocilla Immigration Detention Center to Close"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

The Irwin County ICE Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia will close. \u00a0This is a privately run Immigration Detention Center in South Georgia operated by LaSalle Corrections. \u00a0Last year, horrifying reports of the involuntary sterilization<\/a> of female inmates hit the news. \u00a0A nurse who worked at the facility was the whistleblower.<\/p>\n

Before last year\u2019s incident, the facility in Ocilla already had a bad reputation in the treatment of inmates. \u00a0A priest of my Diocese used to be a chaplain there and his concerns went unheard. \u00a0I have to admit that the head chaplain at Ocilla called me months before COVID closures, and asked for a Catholic priest to start visiting Ocilla again. \u00a0We were unable to get a local priest to visit due to the bad reputation of the prison \u2013 nobody wanted to touch it for various reasons.<\/p>\n

The closure of Irwin County is part of a movement to end contracts with private correction corporations. \u00a0Recently, the D. Ray James Correctional Facility in Folkston, Georgia, also privately operated, closed. \u00a0For six years, I visited this prison for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe where about 400 men attended Mass in the outdoor basketball court. \u00a0The Bishop baptized and confirmed up to 20 men during his annual visit. \u00a0The local parish priest celebrated weekly Mass for about 70 men , and a Deacon led a weekly Bible Study. \u00a0A young man who is now a priest of my Diocese taught at the prison for some years. \u00a0He tells a story of a student who felt ill on a Friday and was told to do salt water gargles. \u00a0The inmate was dead on Monday.<\/p>\n

There will now only be one major ICE facility remaining in South Georgia, Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin. \u00a0Over the last few years, there have been reports of the preventable deaths of inmates inside the facility. \u00a0Some years ago I visited Stewart with the Catholic chaplain, and was able to visit the area where the men are detained. \u00a0We had lunch with them and celebrated Mass afterwards. \u00a0Immigration courts are held inside the prison, and most of the men who arrive to Lumpkin are deported. \u00a0It is rare for any of them to be bailed out. \u00a0The location of Lumpkin in Georgia\u2019s forgotten South makes it improbable that capable lawyers from Atlanta will travel there. \u00a0Families who travel to visit incarcerated family members receive hospitality at El Refugio<\/a>, a worthy organization that provides hospitality at no cost. \u00a0Their website states, \u201cAfter witnessing the challenges shared by those visiting loved ones at Stewart \u2014 traveling long distances, the trauma of family separation, and the lack of resources such as hotels and restaurants in the remote town of Lumpkin \u2014\u00a0 a group of friends established El Refugio. In 2010, El Refugio opened a hospitality house offering meals and lodging at no cost. Perhaps more importantly, we offer friendship and support to the loved ones of immigrants and asylum seekers who are detained.\u201d<\/p>\n

The immigration saga continues. \u00a0Families continue to be separated, the suffering continues, and no comprehensive immigration reform is enacted. \u00a0It is imperative that the dignity of each person, regardless of immigration status, is respected and upheld. \u00a0Though the termination of contracts with private corporations is a step in the right direction, the road ahead is still quite long.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Irwin County ICE Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia will close. \u00a0This is a privately run Immigration Detention Center in South Georgia operated by LaSalle Corrections. \u00a0Last year, horrifying reports of the involuntary sterilization of female inmates hit the news. \u00a0A nurse who worked at the facility was the whistleblower. Before last year\u2019s incident, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2533,"featured_media":6053,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[167],"tags":[1711,73,936,1708,1717,1705,1714],"class_list":["post-6050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-immigration-2","tag-el-refugio","tag-georgia","tag-ice","tag-irwin-county-detention-center","tag-lumpkin","tag-ocilla","tag-stewart-detention-center"],"yoast_head":"\nGeorgia Ocilla Immigration Detention Center to Close<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Irwin County ICE Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia will close. \u00a0This is a privately run Immigration Detention Center in South Georgia operated by\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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