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ICE cancels plans for privatized detention facility in Dwight

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Illinois

* Background is here if you need it. Press release…

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) and the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) are elated that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has canceled the process to build a new privately-operated immigration detention facility in Dwight, Illinois. ICE was still working on the Dwight plan even though the General Assembly passed and Governor Pritzker signed the Private Detention Facility Moratorium Act in 2019 to block for-profit detention centers from being built and operated in our state. Thanks to the leadership of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Kelly Cassidy and Sen. Robert Peters, who spoke up forcefully in response to ICE’s continuing movement on the Dwight bid, ICE has received the message and ended the process.

Our organizations will continue to fight to hold DHS and ICE accountable, to stop the harms they are inflicting and the fear they are creating in our communities, and to make Illinois welcoming for all.

From SAM.gov…

Cancellation Description

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement no longer has a requirement for a Contract Detention Facility within a 180 mile radius of the ICE Chicago Field Office located at101 W. Ida B. Wells Drive, Suite 4000, Chicago, IL 60605-1074.

No word yet on why it no longer has such a requirement.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 11, 20 @ 4:24 pm

Comments

Best news of the day. I hope the officials in Dwight realize they’ve dodged a bullet.

Comment by The W.A. Tuesday, Aug 11, 20 @ 5:21 pm
This is great news, but am I the only one with a nagging feeling that this isn’t the final word? I just don’t trust this administration to walk away from a chance to really upset people (particularly people in Illinois).

Comment by Leslie K Tuesday, Aug 11, 20 @ 5:27 pm
Why do I hear helicopters and think Soldiers Field will be available this fall?

Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Aug 11, 20 @ 6:15 pm