California still has no plan to vaccinate immigrants in detention
After months of advocacy and outreach by advocates, it appears the state of California still has no plan in place to vaccinate immigrants in detention. This is according to multiple reports that emerged this month in which state officials were unable to answer whether California has developed a strategy to vaccinate immigrants in detention, following reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was abdicating the responsibility to states.
The campaign to clarify the status of vaccinations in California’s ICE detention facilities began in December, with advocates sending a letter to state officials and California’s Community Vaccine Advisory Committee, seeking clarification on the status of immigrants in detention concerning the vaccine roll-out. After this first letter went unanswered, advocates sent a follow-up letter that noted recent statements made by ICE that it would be up to states to vaccinate those in immigrant detention.
The letter included the following asks:
Does the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) share ICE’s position that it is ultimately responsible for determining when immigrant detention facilities in California receive the COVID-19 vaccine?
Has CDPH or local public health departments engaged in conversations or planning with ICE with respect to vaccine distribution?
What plans are in place to bridge the serious challenge of lack of trust and information concerning medical access and vaccine distribution for those in these facilities?
What is the proposed timeline to provide clarity with respect to a distribution plan or answers to any of the questions above?
Hamid Yazdan Panah, with Immigrant Defense Advocates, one of the organizations leading the campaign, expressed frustration in an interview with the Desert Sun. “It’s clear that public health authorities at the state and local level have at least some role to play, whether it’s providing the vaccine or simply being involved in the coordination and distribution of the vaccine. At the very least, public health officials have a role in providing information and education to individuals involved in these facilities.”
Advocates were not the only ones who raised the issue with the state. A delegation of 19 state lawmakers sent a letter to the Governor seeking answers on the status of the vaccine for immigrant detention facilities.
The letter was led by California State Senator Maria Elena Durazo, a Democrat representing parts of Los Angeles, who told the Desert Sun, "The only way to know that it's going to be done is if there is an explicit plan that lays out how and who is going to do it, and how are all of these vaccinations going to be administered," she said. "I have a greater trust in the state than in these facilities, but I just want to make sure there's a plan to make sure it gets done."
In addition to the letters, the issue of vaccinations was raised directly with Governor Gavin Newsom by the Desert Sun. With the outlet reporting, “Gov. Gavin Newsom deflected a question about the issue during a press conference Wednesday in Coachella. He instead pivoted to discussing vaccination efforts in the state prison system, where people are being inoculated according to state guidelines.”
The Governor was not the only state official unable to provide clarity on the issue. California's Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, sought to respond to the issue during the Community Vaccine Advisory Committee on February 17th, flagging the numerous questions and public comments that had been raised about immigrants in detention. In response to the question, Burke Harris stated: “The answer right now is, I don’t know,” she said. “There are some really complex, jurisdictional issues that are at play, and so, for today, I don’t have an answer for you.”
The inability to obtain a response from state officials was further compounded by statements provided by local counties. An excellent report written by CalMatters on the issue included direct responses from officials in San Bernardino County, home of the notorious Adelanto detention facility, the largest immigrant detention facility in the state. The article notes:
According to the county, the Adelanto facility, operated by The Geo Group, Inc., isn’t required to provide the health department with numbers on positive cases, deaths, or vaccinations.
“The county has reached out to the facility on occasion to offer assistance with testing and other COVID-related matters, but all indications have been that they feel they are capable of caring for their people on their own,” a county spokesperson said.
Yazdan Panah summed up the frustration felt by advocates waiting for answers and hearing seemingly contradictory reports, telling CalMatters: “A year into this pandemic, and we still have so much confusion. It boggles my mind that we’re unable to get a decisive (vaccination) plan.”
You can find out more information about advocacy to ensure immigrants in detention receive the COVID-19 vaccine here.