The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday, February 11, to revive efforts to ban the development of private detention centers within city limits.
Preemptive Action Amid National Trends
Councilmember Tim McOsker reintroduced the motion, initially discussed six years prior, as a precautionary measure against the potential establishment of detention facilities for immigration detainees. This action comes as federal immigration officials are reportedly scouting and purchasing warehouses and industrial buildings in at least eight states – including facilities in the Florida Everglades known as “Alligator Alcatraz” – for utilize as detention and processing centers, according to a report from the Washington Post.
McOsker’s concern is also focused on the potential fate of Terminal Island Federal Prison, located in his 15th Council District (encompassing Watts to San Pedro), which is slated for closure due to over $110 million in needed repairs over the next 20 years. U.S. Rep. Nanette Barragan’s office is seeking a tour of the facility to assess its condition.
Previous Efforts and Current Status
An earlier attempt to enact a ban in 2019 stalled, according to McOsker, because the Trump administration shifted priorities. “Fast forward to today,” McOsker stated, “I don’t have any notice…that any private detainee centers for L.A. Are being proposed,” but he believes proactive measures are necessary given national trends. The council’s action on Wednesday reactivates a previously drafted ordinance, bringing it back into the legislative process.
The revived ordinance would define “private detention center” broadly, encompassing facilities used to house individuals in federal custody, with limited exceptions. The city aims to define these uses within the Los Angeles Municipal Code to prevent such facilities from being established without explicit authorization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What prompted the Los Angeles City Council to revisit this issue?
The council revived the effort due to reports of the Trump administration acquiring warehouses in other states for use as immigration detention facilities, and concerns about the potential repurposing of the Terminal Island Federal Prison.
What is the status of the Terminal Island Federal Prison?
The prison is slated to close due to costly repairs, estimated to exceed $110 million over the next 20 years. Approximately 700 inmates remain as they are moved to other facilities.
What will happen next?
The action reactivates a city file and draft ordinance, restarting the final steps needed to codify the ban into the Los Angeles Municipal Code. The city will need to update legal research and complete the ordinance.
As the city moves forward, will this preemptive action be enough to safeguard local communities from the potential establishment of private detention facilities?
