OAKLAND, California – Recent reports indicate that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is exploring the option of detaining immigrants at the former FCI Dublin federal prison in California. This facility was shut down by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) last year following a judge’s mandate for independent oversight due to widespread sexual abuse perpetrated by staff against inmates. The BOP attributed the closure to severe cultural issues, staffing shortages, and deteriorating infrastructure.
Dozens of individuals who were incarcerated at FCI Dublin experienced sexual assault, rape, retaliation, threats of deportation, medical neglect, and various other forms of violence inflicted by BOP officials over many years. Noncitizen inmates were often specifically targeted for abuse, facing threats of being reported to ICE or false assurances that staff could assist them in remaining in the United States. Those detained by ICE have similarly encountered violence, including prevalent sexual abuse, medical neglect, retaliation, solitary confinement, and family separation. Recently, members of Congress have renewed calls to shut down ICE detention centers in California, citing severe violations of standards and inhumane conditions.
Kendra Drysdale, a survivor of FCI Dublin and advocate with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners, stated, “One of our primary demands as survivors of the extreme abuse at Dublin has been for the permanent closure of the facility. Reopening this prison, which had serious issues like black mold and asbestos that harmed people’s health, and then detaining noncitizens there would be profoundly cruel. It would underscore the federal government’s failure to implement genuine structural reforms. ICE detention centers are infamous for similar abuses.”
Susan Beaty, Senior Attorney with the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, added, “Turning a facility known for sexual abuse over to another agency with its own history of abuse is a recipe for disaster. FCI Dublin was a site of severe violence and mistreatment, where staff specifically targeted noncitizens. We have every reason to believe that ICE would continue this pattern of abuse, retaliation, and medical neglect. The prison was closed for valid reasons and must remain so.”
The Dublin Prison Solidarity Coalition, a group composed of individuals formerly incarcerated at FCI Dublin and their advocates, has been actively fighting for justice for survivors through education, advocacy, and legal action, including a pending class action lawsuit. The next court hearing for this case is set for February 25, 2025, to discuss a proposed consent decree. This potential settlement aims to ensure ongoing monitoring, protections, and resources for survivors from FCI Dublin who are now held in other BOP facilities across the country. The lawsuit is backed by survivors and the California Coalition for Women Prisoners, with legal representation from Rights Behind Bars, the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, and Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP.
The ongoing litigation has revealed significant environmental and infrastructural shortcomings at the former prison, which inmates had reported for years. Court documents highlighted a range of issues, including asbestos, black mold, leaks, sewage overflows, and water contamination. BOP Director William Lothrop testified that the prison requires “tens of millions of dollars” in repairs to address critical infrastructure, safety, and environmental concerns—work that remains uncompleted. Should the facility be repurposed for immigrant detention, individuals held by ICE would face the same inhumane and hazardous conditions that led to its closure.
