Virginia legislature proposes internment camps...

[Virginia Dare]

the demogogues, racists, and xenophobes entrenched in the Virginia legislature have struck again. They are truly a fun bunch. Thank GOD we have Democratic governor here, that's all I've got say.



RICHMOND, Sept. 25 -- Virginia officials said Tuesday that they are considering a proposal to build a 1,000-bed detention center where illegal immigrants arrested for certain crimes could be held until federal officials deport them.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials said Tuesday night that such a center would be the country's first state-run facility built to hold only illegal immigrants accused of crimes. Currently, illegal immigrants who are arrested are held in local jails, federal facilities and private prisons


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/25/AR2007092502190.html?hpid=topnews

[tekisui]

1. They have already started building one in Raliegh, NC.

I think they are going up all over the country. In the name of Holding Centers for all of the illegals they will start deporting.

And with these facilities, they will have the means to intern anyone.

[Virginia Dare]

2. The article states that this would be the first state run facility of this type..

do you know who's running the one in Raleigh?

[tekisui]

14. Information on the North Carolina Detention Center

I had the wrong city. It is to be built in Charlotte, NC.

The report says:

"The center — the first in the country — could open in less than two years and would be the final stop for illegal immigrants from the South and Mid-Atlantic regions, Mecklenburg Sheriff Jim Pendergraph said.

It would be built and owned by a private developer and leased by the county, which would bill the federal government for each inmate who spends the night. Pendergraph said it was unclear how long it would take the developer to recoup the capital costs."

It will hold 1500 people and could take people from as far away as New York. Sounds alot like the one they want in VA.

link:

http://sistertoldjah.com/archives/2007/08/15/illegal-immigration-detention-center-coming-to-charlotte-nc/

[atreides1]

3. Kaine will have to veto this

We have a Democratic governor, but it's a good bet that this internment camp proposal will pass in the legislature which is Republican controlled.

[hobbit709]

4. Maybe these clowns would rethink their idea

If these "illegal immigrant" internment camps were run by Native Americans.

[flashl]

5. GEO is planning to start one in Jena

Jena Detention (June 4, 2007)

The GEO Group, Inc. announced today the reactivation and expansion of the 416-bed LaSalle Detention Facility (the “Facility”) located in Jena, Louisiana. GEO will begin a 744-bed expansion of this company-owned Facility, which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2008. GEO is actively marketing all 1,160 beds to state and federal detention agencies around the country.

George C. Zoley, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of GEO, said, “The LaSalle Detention Facility is one of eleven facilities we acquired with our acquisition of CentraCore Properties Trust in late 2006. This project is the first of what we believe will be several opportunities to grow our available bed capacity through expansion of our owned facilities.”

The GEO Group, Inc. ("GEO") is a world leader in the delivery of correctional, detention, and residential treatment services to federal, state, and local government agencies around the globe. GEO offers a turnkey approach that includes design, construction, financing, and operations. GEO represents government clients in the United States, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and the United Kingdom. GEO’s worldwide operations include 68 correctional and residential treatment facilities with a total design capacity of approximately 59,000 beds.

It's as if they have conveniently forgotten Jena's human right violations of inmates in CBS' Locked Inside A Nightmare.

[noonwitch]

6. I don't like the idea of for-profit companies running prisons, juvenile or otherwise

There are some excellent private agencies that provide treatment programs for delinquent kids-that is different, because they are charitable organizations, not profit-making companies. When I was a delinquency worker in Michigan, some of the best programs were private-run ones. The state ran the high-security programs and some other facilities.

[flashl]

8. Get ready for-profit detention centers and prison are 2nd largest U.S. employer n/t

[Donnachaidh]

7. Do any of these *officials* have ties to for-profit prison companies?

It's really convenient, don't you think, that this is *suddenly* popping up in the news? I'll bet a bit of research would zero in on a legislator or two who have companies in their districts who will directly benefit from this sudden revelation.

ALWAYS follow the money trail.

[Virginia Dare]

9. Very good point, and I wouldn't doubt it..

but I think the bottom line is that the Republicans in this state are at the point of desperation, and they have chosen "illegal immigrants" as their boogey-man wedge issue this year in a pointless attempt to rally their base and hold onto their majority.

They're getting their asses kicked in fundraising and in the polls. People in this state are getting sick of their do-nothing demagoguery.

[flashl]

10. Most often there is lobbying from coalitions of PICs when these bills show up

As posted earlier, the Prison-Industrial-Complex (PIC) is the 2nd largest employer. Second, to Walmart, IIRC.

And, it has been shown that wherever their coalitions' lobbyists have been, there are detention centers and prisons that follow.

[atreides1]

11. Not really sure

I do know that one of the co-chairs of the task force is Dave Albo, a Republican, and one of the main supporters of Virginia's new traffic laws. By the way he's also a lawyer whose firm deals with traffic law violators.

At this point it's still only in the proposal stage, so there is no information as to where this facility could be built, but there is an old prison in the Lorton VA area that was closed, but the buildings are still intact, and Albo comes from Fairfax County!

[Virginia Dare]

13. It will NEVER be built in Fairfax County...

whomsoever proposes that will be run out of the county on a rail followed by pitchforks and and torches.

Part of the Lorton site will be an arts center (pretty near completion), which has been heavily supported and financed by Mikhail Barishnikov, so I doubt they'll put it next to that anyway.

My guess is they'll put it in some poor black community.

[Laughing Mirror]

12. Virginia can be so proud at being the first at something again

Concentration camps American style.

A couple of things surprised me at this proposal. One, that the facility will be state run. Two, that it's only 1,000 beds. But this just may be the start of something big. A thousand beds here, a thousand there, it is amazing the private prison industry hasn't locked onto this.

As is customary, it is the weakest human beings in our society, and the most visible, who will fill these camps. Carry me back to ole Virginny. There's where the old darke'ys heart am long'd to go,

Separate the darkeys out from the general population, where conditions are already miserable enough, and who knows what sort of depraved treatment, torture & interrogation, awaits these non-violent prisoners awaiting deportation, concentrated into these camps.