Lawmakers don't usually spend their Thursdays touring jails unless something is seriously wrong. On April 2, 2026, California Democrats Mike Levin and Sara Jacobs stepped inside the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego. They didn't just go for a photo op. They went because the stories leaking out of that facility—run by the private prison giant CoreCivic—are starting to sound like a humanitarian nightmare.
We’re talking about more than just "bad vibes." We’re talking about allegations of sexual assault, medical neglect, and a complete breakdown of basic human dignity.
What the Lawmakers Actually Saw
When Levin and Jacobs walked through the halls, they saw over 1,000 people locked up. Most were in blue uniforms. In detention speak, that means they don't have serious criminal records. They’re just caught in the gears of a system that’s currently exploding in size.
The facility looked clean on the surface. The food seemed edible. But Levin isn't buying the "all is well" narrative. He’s hearing from constituents about a laundry list of horrors:
- People can't get medical specialists when they’re sick.
- Family members are being cut off from visits.
- Detainees can't even get the privacy waivers signed that would let Congress help them.
It's a "black box" situation. You see the polished floors, but you don't see the woman who says she was assaulted and then ignored by the local sheriff.
The Court Battle for the Truth
Here’s the part that should make you angry. For a while, the administration tried to force members of Congress to give seven days' notice before visiting these sites. Think about that. If you knew the boss was coming in a week, you’d scrub the floors and hide the mess too, right?
A federal court recently slapped that rule down. Judge Jia Cobb ruled that lawmakers have a right—and a duty—to show up unannounced. Levin has already said he’s going to start doing exactly that.
"I’m not one that’s just going to take the word of those involved," Levin said after the tour. "I’m going to go there and find out for myself."
A System Pushed to the Breaking Point
This isn't just an Otay Mesa problem. It’s a national surge. As of last month, the number of people in ICE detention has skyrocketed to over 68,000. Under the previous administration, that number was closer to 42,000.
When you cram that many people into for-profit facilities, things break. 2025 was already the deadliest year for ICE detainees in over two decades. 46 people died between January 2025 and mid-March 2026. Most of those deaths came from medical complications that probably could've been treated if the system weren't so bloated and secretive.
In Georgia, Senator Jon Ossoff’s office uncovered over 1,000 credible reports of abuse in a single year. We're talking about:
- Forced sleep deprivation as a compliance tool.
- Contaminated water causing chemical burns in people's throats.
- Pregnant women being denied prenatal care or held in excessive restraints.
The For-Profit Problem
Why is this happening? Look at who's running the show. Otay Mesa is a CoreCivic facility. They’re a private company. Their job isn't "humanitarian aid"—it's profit.
Right now, CoreCivic is actually suing San Diego county health inspectors because they tried to get inside to do a state-required inspection. When a company fights this hard to keep health inspectors out, you have to ask what they’re hiding under the rug.
What You Can Do Right Now
The "wait and see" approach isn't working. If you're bothered by the idea of your tax dollars funding facilities where health inspectors are barred and sexual assault claims go uninvestigated, you've got to move.
- Pressure Local Law Enforcement: In San Diego, the Sheriff’s office has reportedly declined to investigate multiple sexual assault claims at Otay Mesa, leaving it to the facility's own staff. That’s like letting the fox investigate the hen house. Demand that local authorities exercise their jurisdiction.
- Support Oversight Legislation: Back the lawmakers who are fighting for unannounced access. Transparency is the only disinfectant that works in a system this closed off.
- Track the Data: Use resources like the KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) or the ACLU to see the actual death and abuse tolls. Don't let these numbers get buried in a Friday afternoon news cycle.
The era of "polite" oversight is over. If the government is going to lock tens of thousands of people in private warehouses, the least we can do is make sure they aren't dying from negligence in the dark.
