In 2007, the University of Texas School of Law’s Immigration Clinic and the ACLU of Texas sued the government, claiming the center violated the rights of minors detained there, and that inmates were being detained in inhumane conditions, and won a settlement which dig gain some improvements in family rights and education standards at Hutto.



That settlement expired August 29, 2008. And then, at the end of 2008, Williamson County ended its contract with CCA. (Or at least temporarily, anyway...)







OBAMA ADMINISTRATION BAIT AND SWITCH: NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON'T!



To see the August 6, 2009 press release from ICE and the DHS go to http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0908/090806washington.htm

As a result of so many complaints about children being imprisoned and the abuses taking place at T. Don Hutto, and other facilities like it, President Obama announced that it would be shut down, and that an investigative research would be done to find other less restrictive alternatives for housing the immigrant families.



On August 6, 2009, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, released a press statement stating that ICE would be undertaking a major overhaul of the agency's immigration detention system, which they would be implementing through the creation of a new Office of Detention Policy and Planning (ODPP), whose role would be to design and plan a civil detention system for addressing ICE's needs. This new agency would be headed by a Dr. Schriro, who would report directly to Napolitano.



At that time, John Morton, who is Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, stated that the Hutto Center would be closed, that the families would be housed at Berk, a smaller facility in Pennsylvania, and that they would be looking at other options for the detainees, such as supervised release. He also said that ICE was committed to ensuring the security, safety, and well-being of individuals in their custody. ('Bout time! At least 107 immigrant detainees have already died in custody of ICE)



Now, here comes the bait and switch so adroitly manipulated by the Obama Administration!



Here are the other things that were said in the press release of August 9, 2009:



(Quote)



Discontinued use of family detention at the T. Don Hutto Family Residential Facility in Texas. In place of housing families, we will propose that the Texas facility will be used solely as a female detention center. Presently, Hutto is used to detain families and low custody female detainees. Detained families will now be housed at Berks Family Residential Center in Pennsylvania.



Appointment of 23 detention managers to work in 23 significant facilities - facilities which collectively house more than 40 percent of our detainees. These 23 federal employees will directly monitor the facilities and ensure appropriate conditions.

(Unquote)

(23 "significant facilities"??? Notice they are saying they will only house female detainees.)





Now, be careful - here it comes!



NOW YOU SEE IT:



So... As a result of the ending of CCA's contract with Williamson County at the end of 2008, and as it could be logically inferred by Janet Napolitano's speech, everyone was happy and excited because all their hard work and activism had finally paid off - Hutto would be finally be closed, and right would prevail!



Williamson County Commissioners voted that they would end their contract with CCA, and announced that they would be giving notice to the private prison company.



Well, it turns out that it wasn't true at all.



NOW YOU DON'T:

Williamson County just used that time to redact a new contract with CCA. When asked about the apparent conflict in the statements made, County Judge Dan Gattis announced that the move to end CCA's contract was more of a "housekeeping" procedure than an indication the county no longer wishes to contract with CCA to operate the facility. Gattis said the county was waiting for Immigrations Customs Enforcement to draft a new contract so the facility can continue to hold women. Gattis said he only felt a need to terminate the county’s contract with CCA just in case the ICE contract did not come through.

Now for the kicker. Here is the Loophole, and how they got away with their "Bait and Switch":



On January 25, 2010, the Williamson County Commissioners voted to approve a contract with ICE to house federal detainees at T. Don Hutto. The problem is that, even though "women" are referenced, the general provision is to house "federal detainees", but that term is not defined to include only adults or to exclude children. Clearly, the loophole allows for children to be brought back in.

Here is the language used in Section 3-A of the ICE agreement:



(Quote:)

The Service Provider shall provide female beds on a space available basis.



The Service Provider shall house all residents as determined within the Service

Provider’s classification system.



(Unquote)

This paragraph does not obligate "the Service Provider" to provide a minimum number of beds for women–in fact, there might be no beds for women at all if other categories of detainees (including children) use of all the other beds.

You can see both proposed agreements (with ICE and with CCA ), from the respective backup documents on the county’s website.



So, we are back at square one again. It is certain that both women and children will continue to be housed at T. Don Hutto, just as they have been all along. The promises were nothing but that - empty promises. (Can we all say "Guantanamo Bay" or "Iraq War"?)



And what is even worse, is that according to the statement released by DHS and ICE, there will be TWENTY THREE OF THESE DETENTION CENTERS with 23 respective directors, and with the corresponding new government agencies which will oversee their activities.



Very slick maneuvering, indeed! What amazing sleight of hand! And representative of everything the Obama Administration has done since it entered the White House.



BEWARE! ALL THAT SHINES IS NOT GOLD!





FOR MORE INFO AND TO FOLLOW THE HAPPENINGS AT T. DON HUTTO:



http://eyeonwilliamson.org/?cat=21



A STATEMENT FROM ICE:





The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.



ICE comprises four integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov



