Pennsylvania’s governor is calling for an independent inspection of the largest ICE facility in the northeast after state employees were denied entry last week.
Inspectors with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections accompanied commissioners from Clearfield County, which pays GEO Group to operate Moshannon Valley Processing Center, for an unannounced visit on June 15.
They were turned away with Moshannon employees saying ICE policy prevented them from entering.
Commissioner Dave Glass said he asked for the state employees to come with him to help him understand how the facility was operating, rather than rely on news reports about the conditions inside.
Glass said his fellow commissioner John Sobel was also with them for the attempted visit.
Rosie Lapowsky, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s press secretary, said Shapiro was extremely concerned about reported conditions at the facility, including reports of inadequate medical care and the overuse of solitary confinement.
“ICE and GEO Group’s decision to deny entrance to Clearfield County officials while they were joined by professionals from the Department of Corrections who were present at the Commissioner’s request only adds to those concerns and shows the urgent need for a full, thorough, and independent inspection of the Moshannon facility,” Lapowsky said.
Moshannon has been the subject of numerous complaints, ranging from inadequate and poor food to allegations sexual abuse, against GEO employees.
Earlier this month, U.S. Congressional Members Chris Deluzio and Summer Lee got into Moshannon unannounced, as allowed by federal law. They, however, were not allowed to bring translators with them, which hampered their ability to communicate with detainees.
Deluzio and Lee said they spoke with women who described serious concerns about medical neglect. When the women started telling them about alleged sexual abuse, GEO staff ushered them away.
Moshannon opened as an ICE detention facility in 2021 based on an agreement between ICE and Clearfield County.
Under the agreement, ICE pays Clearfield County to house around 1,500 people who are facing potential deportation.
The county has a separate contract with GEO Group to use Moshannon to hold the detainees and operate the facility. The county pays directly to GEO Group.
As part of that agreement, the county is allowed to keep $200,000 annually from what ICE pays them.
The county’s contract with GEO Group allows for “county inspectors” to enter the facility. It does not limit who the inspectors are.
Glass previously told PennLive the commissioners had only toured the facility two or three times over five years and they never attempted to go unannounced, despite that being allowed by the contract.
The county’s contracts with ICE and GEO Group expire in September. The commissioners will need to vote to renew the contracts if they intend to continue the relationship.
“I thought, well, let’s see if they’ll honor the terms of this agreement or at least let’s see how far this thing goes because this agreement ends this year,” Glass told PennLive.
Glass has publicly said he would vote against any contract renewal for the operation of Moshannon prior to Monday’s attempted visit.
Glass said he also wanted to get into the facility unannounced so he could see what was happening. He did not bring any media with him and said it was not a publicity stunt.
Had he been allowed inside, Glass said he would be able to refute claims of abuse or neglect if there were no indications of that.
“What the heck is the point of this agreement if I can go up there and get kind of the dime tour anytime I want it, but I can’t bring experts?” He said. “I can’t talk to people who were there and I can’t really look into these allegations.”
ICE and GEO Group did not respond to PennLive’s request for comment.
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