On July 7, the California City Planning Commission met to hear an appeal filed by Jehan Laner on behalf of the Dignity Not Detention Coalition regarding CoreCivic’s California City detention center. Ultimately, the Planning Commission voted 2-1 to deny the appeal, allowing the previously approved Site Plan Review (SPR 25-09) to remain in effect.
Dignity Not Detention Coalition is a grassroots organization within Shut Down Cal City, a coalition of organizations opposing CoreCivic’s operation of the detention center. Before the meeting, Shut Down Cal City hosted a press conference in which Christina Palma, who has been detained inside the California City Detention Center for the past year, shared her experience via phone call from inside the detention center.
Palma mentioned in her phone call that within the last year, she has been to thirteen detention centers, including ones in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Texas, and has found that California City was the worst place she has been housed.
“Cal City has to be literally the worst… it’s terrible. We have no legal library here, our medical needs are being neglected, the food we’re getting to eat is spoiled,” said Palma.
Once the meeting began, Chair David Brottlund proposed reducing individual public comment from three minutes to two minutes because of the unusually large number of people in attendance. The motion received a second and passed.
Commissioner Ralph Cantrell later proposed continuing the appeal for 30 days due to CoreCivic’s announcement that the facility had been sold to the federal government. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Salena Coleman. Following public outcry in the chambers, Brottlund asked for the professional opinion of Michael Torres, the attorney assigned to the hearing by the city. Torres said he was unaware of the reported sale and could not comment on its legal implications.
“So, from our perspective, it’s still CoreCivic who’s operating the facilities, so the issues that are before you today are still alive. The issues are not moot. They make it clear even in their press statement that they are still the operators of the facilities,” said Grisel Ruiz, attorney for the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and the Dignity Not Detention Coalition.
Ruiz’s colleague, introduced as Mindy, noted that the application remained pending despite the announced sale.
“The issue here is still about CoreCivic operating the facility. It’s their application that’s pending before you. That application has not been withdrawn to my knowledge. The sale of the site has not impacted the status of the application,” said Mindy.
After receiving public comment on the proposed continuance, the motion resulted in a tie vote and failed.
Brottlund then addressed the audience before the commission proceeded with the appeal. Noting that the Planning Commission has never carried the task of making any decisions in the past prior to the meeting that was in order.
“Today is the first time the Planning Commission has been tasked with making a decision during this review, which is mandated by municipal code. Now, the Planning Commission review today is strictly limited to whether the site plan review demonstrates conformance with the municipal code,” said Brottlund.
California City Planning Director Anu Doravari presented the staff report and recommended denying the appeal.
“The staff report and the extensive administrative record demonstrate that the appellant has not provided an objective, code-based violation to overturn this determination. Therefore, staff respectfully requests the commission deny the appeal,” said Doravari.
During a 10-minute presentation shared with Jehan Laner and Mindy, Ruiz argued that the city failed to follow its zoning laws
“This appeal asks a narrow question. Did California City follow its zoning laws before allowing this facility to operate as an immigration detention center? We believe, respectfully, the answer is no,” said Ruiz.
Ruiz also cited alleged civil rights violations at the detention center during CoreCivic’s initial first year of operation.
“Reports from disability rights advocates, a third party appointed to monitor the facility, found that disabled people were subject to abuse and neglect. After personally inspecting the facility, they found delays in critical surgery, people going without important medication for days, and requests for medical care going totally unanswered,” continued Ruiz.
Mindy also argued that even if the commission resolved any ambiguity regarding the facility’s use, the zoning code would still require the city to issue a new conditional use permit.
Representing CoreCivic, Dan Struck argued that Dignity Not Detention lacked standing to file the appeal and maintained that the facility’s operation has caused no adverse impacts.
“They are not an affected person. They are not a natural person; they are not a firm, a company, or a public entity… They are not allowed to even bring this appeal in the first place,” said Struck.
“There is no detrimental effect at all on city services; whether or not this is being run as an ICE facility or a prison, it makes no difference whatever,” he continued.
Struck also argued that Conditional Use Permits 9701 and 982 have never expired because they contain no limitation restricting criminal custody. He further disputed allegations made by the coalition.
“With respect to some of the allegations that were made by the attorney for Dignity Not Detention, there have been no findings of constitutional violations by any court,” said Struck.
Deputy Attorney General Ashley Werner attended on behalf of Attorney General Rob Bonta and urged the commission to deny CoreCivic’s site plan.
“CoreCivic’s use of the facility for immigrant detention violates the city’s municipal code. Also, based on information the city provided to our office, CoreCivic’s site plan application does not include information required by the code,” said Werner.
She also argued the permit authorizes prisons—not immigration detention facilities—that the operation exceeds the approved bed capacity, and that the application fails to identify the current use.
“Our office sent a letter to the city in June that explains in detail the reasons CoreCivic’s operations and its entitlement applications don’t comply with the code,” said Werner.
Public comment followed, with roughly three of the five-hour meeting dedicated to testimony from residents, advocates, former detainees, and family members.
Amanda Diaz, associate director of Freedom for Immigrants, used her two minutes to read testimony from individuals detained at the California City Detention Center.
“On June 17, 2024, Carlos Bardon called our hotline and reported the following: ‘In the yard, I only get one hour of yard time. There is no shade during that one hour. They pay us to clean the detention center for $1 a day. We get one soap, one shampoo, and one tube of toothpaste. The food gives me heartburn. There’s no milk at breakfast, just raisins and something like it’s for a child. Their commissary is so expensive. An eight-ounce bag of coffee is $8, a small soda is $3, a AAA battery is $1. Seventy people made a formal complaint on the week of June 8, and nothing has been done. They don’t give emergency medical attention,'” Diaz read.
The meeting concluded at 11:08 p.m. Chair Brottlund made the motion to deny the appeal, Commissioner Perez seconded it, and the motion passed 2-1, with Commissioner Cantrell casting the lone dissenting vote.
Advocates have noted that the fight is not over and they will continue to stand against the detention center.
