This morning, the Williamson County Commissioners will consider a proposal to create a new wing of the T Don Hutto Residential Center. The former prison in Taylor is used by Immigration and Custom's Enforcement (ICE) to detain immigrant families awaiting immigration or asylum hearings.ICE is suggesting that about half of T Don Hutto be used to detain non-criminal females. Right now, about 250 men, women, and children are being held at the former prison, which has the capacity to hold 500 people.
and from the Houston Chronicle:
Commissioner Cynthia Long said she is comfortable adding more female detainees, saying new measures have been put in place to prevent future incidents. Some of those include more staff training and education on how to operate video and security equipment.
The contract change surprised some residents opposed to the facility.
"I'm so adamant that this is wrong, but I don't know how we can go about changing this mind-set," said Jose Orta, president of the Taylor chapter of League of United Latin American Citizens. "This is just adding more fuel to the fire for us."
