Immigrant facilities subpar
Published: Feb 5, 2010 7:00 am By: SUSAN CARROLL - Houston Chronicle"A review of more than 800 pages of inspection reports obtained by the Houston Chronicle through a Freedom of Information Act request shows that inspectors have, in some instances, given positive reviews to facilities with serious problems — ranging from inadequate medical care to poor grievance procedures. In many cases, ICE has required facilities with deficiencies to make improvements, though inspectors often failed to note in subsequent reports whether changes were made.
After Dubegel-Paez's death, inspectors noted that the Rolling Plains facility failed to meet a number of ICE's detention standards, including care for chronic illness and responding to sick call requests.
But ICE officials still did not downgrade the center's rating because of staffing problems in the medical unit, records show, and continue to place a growing number of detainees there.
ICE officials said they are in the process of overhauling the nation's immigration detention system, including its monitoring procedures, and plan to improve oversight of medical care."
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