Revealed: US to close or scale back troubled immigration detention centers

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) is planning to close a troubled detention center in Alabama and will significantly scale back the number of beds contracted at three other facilities, citing concerns about conditions, according to an internal government document seen by Reuters.

While the facility is not currently housing many detainees, the average length of stay remains high, the draft memo said, adding that the age of the jail and the lack of outdoor space were of particular concern.

Immigration advocates have for years raised complaints about a lack of adequate medical care and other problems at several Ice facilities and urged the administration of Joe Biden to close down the centers. Ice is currently detaining nearly 22,000 immigrants at facilities across the country.

Under Biden, Ice arrests and deportations of immigrants living illegally in the United States have plummeted compared with the administration of his predecessor, Donald Trump. The agency has de-emphasized enforcement against immigrants with no criminal history to prioritize the arrest of those committing serious crimes.

An announcement about detention changes was expected on Friday, according to three US officials familiar with the matter. Ice did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The measures are likely to spark criticism from Republicans who have said the Biden is encouraging illegal immigration, pointing to record numbers of migrant arrests at the US-Mexico border, which are expected to rise further this year. Most of the migrants arrested at the border, however, have been immediately expelled under current policy aimed at reducing the spread of Covid in detention settings.