ESTANCIA, N.M. – The fight to shut down a problematic migrant detention center in central New Mexico arrived at its front door Wednesday. 

Protestors drove back and forth in front of the embattled facility Wednesday morning, and their message is simple.

“We need to shut down Torrance County Detention Facility because of the hundreds, hundreds of violations that we have heard from the people inside,” said Tiffany Wang, attorney for the Innovation Law Lab.

The privately-operated facility is mostly used by federal immigration authorities to house asylum seekers awaiting legal proceedings. Immigrant rights attorneys describe the living conditions as worse than prison.

“We have heard direct reports from individuals of sewage flooding, inadequate medical care, inadequate food. Most recently, folks have been saying that it’s been freezing inside the cells. They’re even turning on air conditioning when it’s so windy and cold right now,” said Wang. 

That’s just scratching the surface of all the troubling allegations in recent years, but it’s not just migrants reporting inhumane treatment.

“While I was locked up in TCDF, I began suffering symptoms of a heart attack. I had to wait about an hour until I saw a guard to call for help,” said Denia Ruby, who lives in Mountainair. “Since that traumatic experience, I’ve learned of three Torrance County residents and an asylum seeker that died because of the inhumane treatment in this prison that values profit over people.” 

Advocates took their fight directly to Torrance County commissioners Wednesday, three weeks before the county’s current contract with the out-of-state operator is reportedly set to expire.

“It is past time to end the contracts with ICE and CoreCivic at TCDF,” Wang said. 

Torrance County commissioners did not address the contract during their final meeting of the year, and the county manager did not immediately respond to KOB 4’s questions.

But a spokesperson with CoreCivic challenged the allegations, saying they “Simply don’t reflect the quality of the services provided at the facility or the professionalism of our team. The reality is that we provide a safe, humane and appropriate environment for the individuals at TCDF, and are constantly striving to deliver an even better standard of care.”

Several members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation have called for the facility’s closure and increased federal oversight.

Find the full statement from CoreCivic below:

“The safety, health and well-being of the individuals entrusted to our care and our dedicated staff is our top priority. We continue to hear claims and allegations about the Torrance County Detention Facility (TCDF) that simply don’t reflect the quality of the services provided at the facility or the professionalism of our team. The reality is that we provide a safe, humane and appropriate environment for the individuals at TCDF and are constantly striving to deliver an even better standard of care. TCDF is subject to multiple layers of oversight and is monitored very closely by our government partners to ensure full compliance with policies and procedures, including Performance Based National Detention Standards (PBNDS). ICE has repeatedly audited TCDF, reaching conclusions that support the facility’s continued operation. In fact, TCDF received an overall “superior” rating in both its annual FY22 and FY23 ICE Office of Detention Oversite (ODO) audits.

It’s worth noting that local and federal elected officials have made numerous unannounced inspections to the TCDF and have echoed these sentiments. Our public affairs counterparts at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) also recently invited several media outlets to tour TCDF. Univision New Mexico (KLUZ) shared their media coverage, which you can find here. I also encourage you to read an op-ed in the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper, written by Gary Barricklow, who serves as a chaplain at TCDF.  Immigrants and those who serve them deserve honesty | My View | santafenewmexican.com. Each of these examples are from people who have seen firsthand the care and compassion that is being delivered to those in our care at TCDF.“