Costa, Padilla Denied Entry to Golden State Annex Facility in Central Valley as Death Toll in ICE Custody Reaches More Than 60 Under Trump

MCFARLAND, CA — Today, Representative Jim Costa (D-Calif.-21) and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, were denied entry to the Golden State Annex in Kern County, California, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility. Costa and Padilla attempted to exercise their congressional oversight role as the Trump Administration escalates immigration enforcement operations across the Central Valley and throughout California. 

Golden State Annex is operated by the GEO Group, a for-profit private prison company. The lawmakers were turned away as Golden Annex officials claimed that ICE agents were not present on site to allow them into the facility.

“Today’s visit with Senator Padilla to the Golden State Annex detention facility once again demonstrated ICE’s lack of accountability and transparency,” said Congressman Costa.“As members of Congress, we have a constitutional right to conduct oversight of these facilities and ask basic questions about the conditions, medical care, and treatment of detainees. Instead, we were denied access to basic information and given the runaround. As my district and communities across our state continue to be impacted by ICE activity, I remain committed to working alongside my colleagues to hold ICE accountable and demand transparency.”

“More than 60 people have now died in ICE custody since Donald Trump returned to office. That is a staggering and unacceptable loss of life, and the Trump Administration continues to refuse to answer basic questions about the conditions inside its detention facilities,”said Senator Padilla. “Today I visited the Golden Annex in McFarland to demand answers and accountability. My office continues to receive alarming reports about conditions inside these facilities and agency officials won’t even answer basic questions about whether they’re respecting due process rights and protecting the fundamental human rights of those in their custody. Their refusal to grant us access to the detention facility raises serious questions about what they’re trying to hide. Families deserve answers. The American people deserve transparency. And this Administration must be held accountable for its cruel and inhumane mass deportation agenda. I will keep showing up, demanding answers, and fighting to ensure the law is followed and people’s rights are protected.”

Photos and video of today’s oversight visit are available here.