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Only family detention center outside Texas may shut after license revoked
Source: The Guardian
Only family detention center outside Texas may shut after license revoked
Immigrant activists in Pennsylvania welcomed the move, where at least five
families now held at Berks County facility were detained during ICE raids
Renée Feltz
Saturday 30 January 2016 01.44 GMT
The only family detention center outside of Texas may be forced to shut down after its license to operate was revoked – a move welcomed by immigrant rights activists.
Berks County Residential Center in Pennsylvania has had its license revoked, and its pending license will not be renewed.
In a letter sent to Berks County this week, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services said it “is not renewing” the center’s license to operate “as a child residential facility”. The license for the center expires on 21 February. The letter also says the state has revoked a “certificate of compliance” that was issued 9 November and would have allowed the facility to operate through 21 February 2017. The state also denied approval for its expansion from 96 beds to 192 beds.
The move comes after a warning last year that the county is now appealing.
“This is a huge development,” said Bridget Cambria, a partner with the Cambria & Kline law firm that represents many clients at Berks. “I am proud the state I live in has said they won’t condone family detention.”
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Immigrant activists in Pennsylvania welcomed the move, where at least five
families now held at Berks County facility were detained during ICE raids
Renée Feltz
Saturday 30 January 2016 01.44 GMT
The only family detention center outside of Texas may be forced to shut down after its license to operate was revoked – a move welcomed by immigrant rights activists.
Berks County Residential Center in Pennsylvania has had its license revoked, and its pending license will not be renewed.
In a letter sent to Berks County this week, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services said it “is not renewing” the center’s license to operate “as a child residential facility”. The license for the center expires on 21 February. The letter also says the state has revoked a “certificate of compliance” that was issued 9 November and would have allowed the facility to operate through 21 February 2017. The state also denied approval for its expansion from 96 beds to 192 beds.
The move comes after a warning last year that the county is now appealing.
“This is a huge development,” said Bridget Cambria, a partner with the Cambria & Kline law firm that represents many clients at Berks. “I am proud the state I live in has said they won’t condone family detention.”
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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/29/immigration-family-detention-center-pennsylvania-shut-down-license-revoked