Congresswoman Stansbury Calls for Further Oversight on Torrance Facility

Press Release

Today, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) called for further oversight after visiting the CoreCivic-operated Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia, N.M. for an unannounced inspection.

Rep. Stanbury visited the Torrance County Detention Facility (Torrance Facility) following a management alert from the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security which recommended that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immediately transfer immigrant detainees from the Torrance Facility due to facility conditions.

"My office has been conducting oversight over the conditions at the Torrance Facility for months, and today I personally conducted an unannounced inspection following the Office of Inspector General's report detailing unfit conditions at the facility," said Rep. Stansbury. "We are deeply troubled by the OIG's report and inconsistent findings by ICE and will continue to investigate and conduct oversight to ensure the safety and civil liberties of those under the facility's care."

Rep. Stansbury's office has been conducting oversight over the Torrance Facility since September 2021 after it was brought to her attention that the facility had failed a July 2021 inspection.

In December, Rep. Stansbury sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security with Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján and Rep. Leger Fernández to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ICE Acting Director Tae Johnson, and President and CEO of CoreCivic, calling for increased oversight on CoreCivic's management of the Torrance Facility after Haitian asylum seekers faced significant barriers to legal counsel. The lawmakers have also expressed concerns about the CoreCivic's commitment to providing proper health care, testing, COVID-19 vaccinations, and hygiene standards for those in its custody to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks.

Earlier this month, Rep. Stansbury joined over 100 of her colleagues in a letter to Secretary Mayorkas requesting the suspension of ICE detention expansion, the phase out of private for-profit facilities, and a review of all ICE detention facilities.

Rep. Stansbury's office will continue to coordinate oversight visits to the Torrance Facility, in partnership with the offices of Sens. Heinrich and Luján, to further investigate and monitor the physical conditions of detainees, the facilities, and ensure access to legal right to counsel.

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