The groups sent a 22-page complaint to officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that, in part, called for ending what is known as an Intergovernmental Service Agreement between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Baker County.
“There is extensive evidence that Baker cannot safely care for detained immigrants and people continue to suffer as these conditions continue,” the complaint said. “This evidence is growing by the day as more and more complaints come in about abuse and very poor conditions at Baker.”
The complaint was the latest move by the ACLU and other groups that allege immigrants have been mistreated while housed at the North Florida facility.
“At minimum, we ask that your offices conduct a comprehensive investigation of the abuses at Baker through unannounced inspections, interviews with detained individuals, and a thorough review of medical records, video surveillance footage, and any other evidence relevant to the complaints raised in this letter,” the complaint said, addressing Department of Homeland Security officials.
In an interview last month with the Jacksonville television station WJXT, Baker County Sheriff Scotty Rhoden disputed the allegations of mistreating detainees.
“Those are just lies because we take it seriously here at the Baker County Sheriff’s Office to treat people the way they should be treated at all times,” he told the station.
This article appears in Sep 8-14, 2022.