Facility Inspection Finds Food Areas OK, but Raises More Questions

Health officials visited the kitchen and storage rooms at a detention center on May 28. They reported that these areas looked clean and did not show any signs of rodents or other pests at the time of their visit. The report also mentioned that food was not kept at the right temperatures, which could be a problem.

The state health commissioner said that they could not fully judge the whole facility because their access was limited. He pointed out worries about how food is cooled and reheated, and noted that the person in charge of the kitchen was not fully qualified. He also said he could not see the living quarters or medical rooms because those areas were off limits.

A state governor received a short tour of the center but was not allowed to talk with the detainees. She called the visit unacceptable, and a federal official replied that she had no authority to oversee the place. He suggested her criticism was politically motivated.

Reports show that most people held in this center have no criminal charges or convictions. The company that runs the facility has not yet responded to questions about the inspection.