Kern County has the largest number detention centers in California. Currently, it houses thousands of detainees in the following facilities:

1. Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center (Bakersfield)
2. Golden State Annex ICE Processing Center (McFarland)
3. California City Detention Facility (California City)

There have been reports of ongoing health and safety violations from detainees in these centers:

• Lack of proper medical treatment for individuals with health conditions (ex. diabetic detainees being denied insulin, painful injuries being left untreated, detainees being given pain medication for serious medical issues). Detainees have reported waiting weeks for a response to medical requests.
• Women detainees warn distressed women not to visibly cry in front of guards due to reports of women who have displayed high emotional distress being placed in solitary confinement and continually given sleeping pills.
• Detainees need emergency care due to delays in getting their prescription medications.
• Detainees do not have access to warm blankets at night.
• Detainees are forced to sleep with lights on 24/7.
• Detainees are not being allowed consistent showers, changes of clothes, or access to make family calls.
• Detainees are being fed food of poor quality and/or low nutritional value. They are forced to drink water from the sink in their cells.
• Cells are being filled to full capacity.
• Detainees are being forced to volunteer or to work menial kitchen jobs. Men are paid $2.00 a day while women earn $1.00 a day.
• Allegations of sexual abuse of detainees by officers.
• Decrease in mental health (self-harm, suicide).

In 2024, Senate Bill 1132 was enacted in the State of California, clarifying that “private detention facilities” are subject to inspection by local health officers when requested by local lawmakers or law enforcement to ensure they adhere to state public health standards and institutional guidelines necessary to keep our state safe.

SB 1132 could be implemented in Kern County if voted on by the Kern County Board of Supervisors. These centers would be inspected for compliance with minimum standards set by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), ICE's National Detention Standards (NDS), and ICE's Performance-Based National Detention Standards (PBDNS).

Faith in the Valley is ORGANIZING communities and allies in Kern County to pursue an enforcement of PBNDS, NDS, and BSCC health and safety standards for Mesa Verde, Golden Annex, and California City detention center facilities in Kern County. We are CALLING the Kern County Board of Supervisors to use the power SB 1132 grants them to order a public health inspection of Golden State Annex, Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center, and California City Detention Center by the end of 2026.

“I know and it is part of my faith that all people are holy and all people are sacred. Unconditionally.”