Whitmer nixes private immigrant detention center proposed in Ionia

[demmiblue]

Source: Detroit Free Press

LANSING — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has canceled the sale of a former state prison in Ionia for construction of a $35-million immigration detention center — a move drawing both praise and criticism.

Whitmer nixed the sale of the former Deerfield Correctional Center to Immigration
Centers of America, a private detention center operator based in Virginia, because the company couldn’t guarantee the facility “would not be used to detain adults who had been separated from their children or other family members,” among other concerns, said Whitmer spokeswoman Tiffany Brown.

It's the latest in a series of moves that Whitmer, a Democrat, has taken to reverse directions taken under the administration of her predecessor, Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.

Rev. Jack Eggleston, a board member of the group Michigan United and pastor at Unity Lutheran Church in Southgate, said the center would have made it easier for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to separate families.

Read more: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/02/17/gretchen-whitmer-private-immigration-prison-ionia/2898680002/

---

Well done, Governor Whitmer!

[littlemissmartypants]

1. Very good news. Thanks for sharing demmiblue. ♡ nt

[pazzyanne]

2. Kudos to Govenor Whitmer!

It seems that the states have stepped up and are providing the checks and balances that the Senate should be. If anyone believes that our nation is not in great trouble, they have their heads in the sand, or more appropriately, up the president's butt. We need to keep resisting and fighting the administration that is bringing down the United States constitution (except for the second amendment) and the greatness that was once the USA.

[yaesu]

3. A leader with a conscience, I like her. nt

[ginnyinWI]

4. yay--keep saying no to Trump concentration camps! nt

[Owl]

5. Excellent!

[llmart]

6. Yes!

This is why we elected her.

Thank you, Governor Whitmer.

[snpsmom]

7. Awesome!

As one of her constituents, I sent her a thank you note.

[notdarkyet]

8. Good for her. It is looking like the main business in the country is detention and prisons.

Good for businesses. The cheapest labor there is. This whole system is disgusting.

[Lonestarblue]

9. When Democrats are in control again, they need to do away with private prisons.

And that inckudes private detention centers. Private prisons abuse prisoners to make more profits, not even giving them enough food, and do little more than cause criminals to be worse when they’re released.

[theaocp]

10. I couldn't agree more, but until we get the lobbyist money away from the reps

charter prisons will continue to hang out. They are disgusting beyond measure, but the money will corrupt. Get the money out and humanity will rear its head again.

[2naSalit]

11. Good!

[MichMan]

12. She needs to announce a plan to repurpose the closed facility into something productive

Otherwise, it might hurt her politically in that area of the state

The property will continue to be an eyesore in Ionia and a constant reminder to residents of the 250 jobs that could have been created.

[Sapient Donkey]

13. Private immigrant detention centers seem counter productive to anyone who

wants to actually reduce illegal immigration. Adding a profit motive to such immigration in our "money buys influence" political systems seems like a surefire way to ensure no real solutions are ever found. This, of course, also applies to all other private prisons.

Between this stuff, the pushing of an expensive and mostly ineffective border wall (child size bandaid for an amputated arm at best), and the lack of any real discussion about humanitarian crisis in the nations south of us just goes to show no one actually cares. I know there is some talk of this and even some programs for this, but why is it not the primary focus of our attention?