A new proposed detention center in Crete raises concerns. When will the profit making machine of detaining immigrants for a profit be put to rest?

###

Via Sun Times

There was enough opposition to a proposed immigration detention center in Crete to fill the room, make that three rooms.

The possibility of the village approving a compound for undocumented aliens drew about 40 area residents Monday night to an informal meeting at a Crete home organized by the Interfaith Committee for Detained Immigrants, a Chicago-based group.

In July, Crete was granted tentative approval for a detention center when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement selected an undisclosed industrial site in Crete Township, south of Burville Road, for a privately owned center.

The center would be a holding site for suspected illegal immigrants, who would be housed there to await deportation. It would be one of six “new generation” detention centers that ICE plans to build nationwide.

Residents of Crete and neighboring communities attended Monday night’s meeting at Concetta Smart’s Crete house to ask questions and voice their concerns about the facility. A representative of U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-11th) also attended.

The group discussed strategies to bring the detention center plan to the attention of area residents, including a town hall meeting Jan. 9 at a location to be determined. Many were concerned about the center resulting in inhumane treatment of detainees.

Ray Rubio wanted to know if detainees would be able to access pastoral care while at the detention center.

“Faith moves a lot of people,” he said. “Remember, you are talking about human beings. So are they going to be treated like human beings or are they going to be treated like farm animals?”

Charles Bayo, an immigrant from the Congo who came to the United States in 2006, told of his experience of being mistakenly arrested for immigration violations last year. Bayo was housed primarily in a McHenry County detention facility for 10 months while officials determined his status.

“I’ve lost everything, and I was a wealthy man before I was detained,” he said. “I am totally ruined. All of my reputation has gone down, my health has gone down, my spirit has gone down. “

Several other residents said they wanted more details on the proposed detention center and wondered why the plan had not received ore publicity.