Importing illegal immigrants – into private Georgia prisons

Interesting piece in The Nation on the attempt in Ocilla, Ga., to balance off the loss of illegal immigrant farm labor by importing illegal immigrants – into a private detention facility. From the lede:

ICE’s reliance on facilities like the Irwin County Detention Center has put small rural towns at the center of one of today’s most contentious policy arguments—how to enforce immigration law. A yearlong investigation … shows how much politics has come to rule detention policy.

Even as Georgia and Alabama passed harsh new immigration laws last year designed to keep out undocumented immigrants, documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act reveal that politicians from both states were lobbying hard to bring immigrant detainees in.

ICE succumbed to the pressure, sending hundreds of detainees to the financially unstable facility in Georgia that promised to detain immigrants cheaply. That promise came at the expense of the health, welfare and rights to due process of some 350 immigrants detained daily in Ocilla.

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

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57 comments Add your comment

Centrist

April 11th, 2012
1:06 pm

Carole

April 11th, 2012
1:09 pm

Say it aint so–GOP speak with forked tongue! I’m shocked.

Aaron Burr V Mexico

April 11th, 2012
1:30 pm

I wonder how Republicans will feel about Private Prisons when we make the camps that they’re so afraid of in their nightmares.

GaBlue

April 11th, 2012
1:38 pm

Wow. Don’t the good, God-fearing, Jesus-loving preacher men in this state have anything to say about treating our “neighbors” this way? The poor, the sick, the imprisoned?

They sure do have a lot to say about how doctors practice medicine, but… are they silent on THIS?

Centrist

April 11th, 2012
1:44 pm

Only the liberal AJC, liberal posters here, and some farmers who have profited by such poorly compensated labor have concerns about enforcing our immigration laws, and where the most egregious lawbreakers are imprisoned (most are ignored or deported). Tiny minority – GA’s anti-ILLEGAL immigration law is extremely popular.

findog

April 11th, 2012
1:47 pm

Even in a knowledge society there is a need for Neanderthal clusters; too bad Georgia is one of them…

zeke

April 11th, 2012
2:03 pm

ocilla typical of the boss hawg mentality that permeates this state

deegee

April 11th, 2012
2:07 pm

I read the whole article. The inmates are paying for the bargain that Isakson and Chambliss struck. It’s a sin, and I hope that one day every one of those sinners pay for the crimes that they have willfully committed against humanity.

Aaron Burr V Mexico

April 11th, 2012
2:08 pm

@Straw Man – Only an OTP slightly left of Godwin territory would call the AJC ‘liberal’ and say ‘the most egregious lawbreakers’ referring to Illegal Immigrants instead of the Republican Legislature in this state.

Not Centrist IS however right about only a tiny portion of the state caring about the ban on illegals.

Personally I like seeing one portion of the GOP base suffer for the desires of the rest.

DannyX

April 11th, 2012
2:11 pm

“The Obama administration had deported about 1.06 million as of September 12, 2011 against 1.57 million in Bush’s two full presidential terms.”

Far right fanatics like “Centrist” talk a big game but when it comes to reality they are nowhere to be found. They always have a big liberal conspiracy hiding about somewhere, like Tea Party Rep Allen West claiming there are 78-81 communist Democrats in the US House.

GaBlue

April 11th, 2012
2:11 pm

Since Georgia was founded as a prison colony where it was not only legal, but common practice, to throw people in prison for being poor and leaving them there to rot, it makes sense. We’ve never aspired to anything better. I visited our Capitol during this year’s legislative session to watch our government in action. You can count on your fingers the number of people down there aspiring to something better, and still have fingers left over.

May God have mercy on us, because we do not deserve His blessings.

Tip

April 11th, 2012
2:33 pm

Are the inmates still at the Atlanta city jail? My Brother sated that the facility was really clean when he was there.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will crush the heads of the perverted New World Order integrationist crowd and their devilish black minions

April 11th, 2012
2:41 pm

How in the world did these illegal aliens get in the United States in the first place? If we focus our energies on keeping them out like Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, we won’t have any of the secondary problems found in Ocilla and around the country.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgOHOHKBEqE&feature=relmfu

Amen?

Aaron Burr V Mexico

April 11th, 2012
2:49 pm

@TD2 – Why would hell condemn its own agents?

No. They are FROM hell my friend, not destined to it.

deegee

April 11th, 2012
3:07 pm

The illegal immigrants that are working and raising families here are infinitely more worthy of a place in society than the greedy, self-interested politicians like Isakson and Chambliss that would leech the blood out of their own mothers and sell it for profit.

Billy Peeler

April 11th, 2012
3:18 pm

…and then rent teams of them out to local farmers to pick peaches. PERFECT situation.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will crush the heads of the perverted New World Order integrationist crowd and their devilish black minions

April 11th, 2012
3:20 pm

Instead of having courage and patriotism like President John F. Kennedy and challenge the secrete societies, Obama chooses to bow down and kiss their butts thereby destroying the United States in a cowardly effort to avoid Kennedy’s fate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b76mBlnm86w&feature=player_embedded

Amen?

Aaron Burr V Mexico

April 11th, 2012
3:41 pm

@TD2 – A nice attempt at hyberole Morph, but the truth is, to the extent that their families really are Republican, then they do deserve suffering and pain for the harm they cause.

I don’t know who you are, or what your real beliefs are, but I’m not convinced you really have any. Innocents should never suffer but at this point the Republican party has become a font of ignorance that is causing real harm, real murder, real destruction, and to the extent that those around them are responsible for it, they should be punished.

But, truth be told, I don’t believe in waiting for God to sort it out. Let’s make their lives hell here.

Patriot

April 11th, 2012
3:56 pm

If Al-Qaeda wants to destroy the America we know and love, they’d best get a move on ’cause the OLD SAVIOR (aka: Barack Hussein Obama) is beating them to it!

Refugee from Dikkksie (Thank God We Escaped)

April 11th, 2012
3:57 pm

Others would do well to escape also, particularly young people with their lives ahead. Conditions are not good, and will worsen rapidly once the ugly hordes convulse. Dixie is and will always be Gooberfest Ground Zero.

Going Right

April 11th, 2012
4:05 pm

Aaron Burr V Mexico (@3:41pm); WHOA! Here’s another quarter, son, now go out and buy ANOTHER big word! Hyperbole? You and the rest of your socialists have worn out that philosophy in writing (?) your blogs!

IntelligentinGA

April 11th, 2012
4:05 pm

TD, I beg you to enlighten me – if you are not too blinded by ignorant anger to do so – as to how illegal immigrants have bestowed pain and suffering upon you as a GA resident (by virtue of their being; please don’t tell me about one illegal immigrant who hurt you because laws are not designed for single situations and it’s a sign of ignorance to stereotype an entire group based on 1 person). From my experience, and I was born as raised in GA, illegal immigrants do not bestow pain and suffering on anyone, any more than any other GA group of residents does. They raise their families, send them to school, perform jobs in my community that many would rather accept welfare than do, and generally do not affect me at all. They occasionally make mistakes, just like legal residents, but they strive for a better life in the face of incredible adversity. There is no excuse for throwing these people in private jails, charging their families obscene amounts of money to talk to them, and denying the rights that even spies who defected to foreign nations are granted. It’s so easy to hate illegal immigrants but it’s so hard to come up with a genuinely good reason for doing so. I guess why you speak with such hatred and ignorance. I feel sorry for you and others who lack compassion for their fellow man, for it is one of the few things that make us uniquely human.

Ryan Shakur

April 11th, 2012
4:16 pm

Refugee from Dikkksie (Thank God We Escaped)

April 11th, 2012
4:25 pm

Right Turn, there is no way you would risk your life and the lives of everyone you know by owning such a bulldog.

You are one stupid goober lol. Are you in the Jawja legislature?

Aaron Burr V Mexico

April 11th, 2012
4:25 pm

@Probably Not A Patriot – It isn’t Obama that is destroying America. Its people like you calling themselves Patriots, taking away from the real work of real patriots.

@Going Wrong – Wait, I’ve seen this movie.

Me: “Do you know what a socialist is?”
Going Stupid: “Yes jefe, I believe we have a plethora of socialists.”
Me: “You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it does…”
Going Stupid: “Shut up jefe! I’ve got a grocery list in my pocket that tells me anyone is a socialist that I don’t like.”
Me: “Ah. We’re still not going to give you a bullet for the gun.”
Going Stupid: “But…but…but…waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

@Right Turn – When we round up all the Republicans and put them on reservations, you might have wished he stayed.

Aaron Burr V Mexico

April 11th, 2012
4:28 pm

Note to Moderate Cows: Yes, it is true that I mixed three movies in that script, but that’s OK.

Republican ‘ideology’ isn’t and is instead a hodge podge of 10-20 different half baked ideas that mainly consist of stopping anyone anywhere from having a just and peaceful life besides Rich White Southerners or their trailer trash thralls.

Gas 2006 vs 2012

April 11th, 2012
4:28 pm

One Trick Pony

April 11th, 2012
4:31 pm

@GAS 2006 vs 2012 – Watch as I RUN RUN RUN RUN by and show a youtube video.

This random link without any explanation brought to you by the conservatives.

And a contard calling ANYONE out about hypocrisy? LOL…

Yeah. Fix your own house first demons.

Aaron Burr V Mexico

April 11th, 2012
4:31 pm

Someone has a CAMERA! And they can make MOVIES!

Hooooooooooooooraaaaaaaaaaay!

Aaron Burr V Mexico

April 11th, 2012
4:37 pm

If there was quality control on these boards, do you think Morph would be able to namejack people all the time?

Bernie

April 11th, 2012
4:59 pm

Why NOT just bring SLAVERY back? Its free labor, you can work them from can’t see in the morning until can’t see in the night, no payable benefits, heck you do not even have to feed them or house them.
one make a hefty profit on such a venture. This is just as crazy and inhumane as the premise of that private prison PLAN!

Bernie

April 11th, 2012
5:01 pm

Patriot @ 3:56 pm, My friend not to worry your vote for the STRANGE ONE with the cult religion will do it with your full throated support.

Truthbe

April 11th, 2012
5:18 pm

80 of the Top Communists in the Senate and Congress. Look for yourself, here’s the link with the evidence. CHECK IT OUT.
http://commieblaster.com/progressives/index.html

honested

April 11th, 2012
5:19 pm

What a good definition of ‘bad idea’:
1-private, for profit prisons
2-detaining illegals in private, for profit prisons
3-encouraging small town cops to arrest illegals so the can help fund private for profit prisons.

Howsabout this, arrest the EMPLOYERS of illegals and put them in public, not for profit prisons. Auction off all their stuff to Citizens who will employ only Citizens. Make sure that between arrest and auction, there are several teevee appearances in shackles so people will remember clearly who what and why.

Of course, we would end up with a lot of empty beds in private for-profit prisons.

honested

April 11th, 2012
5:20 pm

truthbe

Not being a fascist is not a definition of ‘communist’.

Eli

April 11th, 2012
5:28 pm

“health, welfare, and due process rights…”

Three American values (specified in the Preamble nonetheless) that fall on deaf conservative ears.

td acts typical to his character. When my job in Atlanta is finished I am moving back to my blue state where we do not have these issues and the high school grad rate is above 70%. No wonder GA lags in economic growth, your school systems do not produce citizens competent enough to bag groceries.

td

April 11th, 2012
5:34 pm

I see that Jim finally took down the imposters comments. Thank you for having a little testicular fortitude.

td

April 11th, 2012
5:39 pm

Eli

April 11th, 2012
5:28 pm

Whatever comments you are talking about were posted by an imposter. I am glad to here another lib is ready to stop polluting this great state and will be leaving shortly. As far as Grad rates then we will soon see the real numbers for all states. Now if you take all the Dems out of this state the grad rates would be a great deal higher. Just look at the numbers from APS and Dekalb (50%). Where would the state average be at if those two democratic bastions were at 70%?

honested

April 11th, 2012
5:56 pm

td,

How many auslander districts in our fair state have graduation rates in the 35% range?

You know, the hard core repug. conservative religious nut counties.

td

April 11th, 2012
5:57 pm

honested

April 11th, 2012
5:56 pm

Name some districts and we shall see?

Real Athens

April 11th, 2012
6:38 pm

TD@5:39 PM

Please spare us the lectures about education, graduation rates, polluting blogs et. al. in Georgia.

It’s “hear” not here.

This is supposed to pass for a sentence?

“As far as Grad rates then we will soon see the real numbers for all states.”

td

April 11th, 2012
6:53 pm

I hope Republicans die a slow and painful death!!!!

td

April 11th, 2012
6:54 pm

Real Athens

April 11th, 2012
6:38 pm

This is a blog and not an English essay writing forum. I will match my degree against your degree whenever you choose.

td

April 11th, 2012
6:57 pm

Real Athens

April 11th, 2012
6:38 pm

I will also match my salary against yours whenever you choose.

Samsonite

April 11th, 2012
6:58 pm

Td, it is never wise to wish death upon others. I must, however, agree with you in this particular instance. In the year 2012 they (repubs) should not be allowed to behave like Nazis. They truly are disgusting people!

Real Athens

April 11th, 2012
7:36 pm

TD:

Then be prepared to lose … twice.

“English essay writing forum”?

re·dun·dant/riˈdəndənt/
Adjective:
1. No longer needed or useful; superfluous.
(of words or data)
2. Able to be omitted without loss of meaning or function.

ld

April 11th, 2012
8:11 pm

To be given “work release” on Georgia farms?

DAVID .B

April 11th, 2012
9:04 pm

Waste of money.Deport or execute all of the illegals as soon as possible,meaning on site,after taking everything they own away from them.Problem solved

Jason

April 11th, 2012
9:14 pm

Everybody says there is this RACE problem. Everybody says this RACE problem will be solved when the third world pours into EVERY White country and ONLY into White countries.
The Netherlands and Belgium are just as crowded as Japan or Taiwan, but nobody says Japan or Taiwan will solve this RACE problem by bringing in millions of third worlders and quote assimilating unquote with them.
Everybody says the final solution to this RACE problem is for EVERY White country and ONLY White countries to “assimilate,” i.e., intermarry, with all those non-Whites.
What if I said there was this RACE problem and this RACE problem would be solved only if hundreds of millions of non-blacks were brought into EVERY black country and ONLY into black countries?
How long would it take anyone to realize I’m not talking about a RACE problem. I am talking about the final solution to the BLACK problem?
And how long would it take any sane black man to notice this and what kind of psycho black man wouldn’t object to this?
But if I tell that obvious truth about the ongoing program of genocide against my race, the White race, Liberals and respectable conservatives agree that I am a naziwhowantstokillsixmillionjews.
They say they are anti-racist. What they are is anti-White.
Anti-racist is a code word for anti-White.

DAVID .B

April 11th, 2012
9:22 pm

Jason,Illegal immigration is a criminal act,and not a race,since Illegal immigrants are not a race,ethnicity,etc.The USA is a Nation with every ethnic background in it,so this is not about race,of which the only race is human,anyway.