Jewish and Latino Caucuses Visit ICE Detention Center and Meet with Asylum Seekers at Mexican Border

On Friday, August 9, 2019, 11 Legislators from the California Legislative Jewish Caucus and the California Latino Legislative Caucus visited the Otay Mesa Detention Center and a Migrant Family Shelter operated by Jewish Family Services (JFS).  The delegation toured both facilities, conducted interviews with detainees at Otay Mesa, and met with migrant families at the JFS facility.  The trip was organized by the Jewish Caucus, which has grown increasingly concerned with federal immigration policy and widespread reports of abuse and mistreatment of asylum-seekers at the southern border. There are no photos inside Otay Mesa Detention Center or of asylum-seekers at the JFS facility for security reasons.

The delegation included: Jewish Caucus Chair, Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) and Vice Chair, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-San Fernando Valley); Latino Caucus Vice Chair, Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles); Senators Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), and Henry Stern (D-Thousand Oaks); Assemblymembers Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda), Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto),  Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica), Todd Gloria (D-San Diego), Adrin Nazarian (D- Van Nuys); and Board of Equalization member Antonio Vazquez.