Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Department of Homeland Security has purchased two privately-run detention facilities from the for-profit prison company CoreCivic, the company announced, in a move that may serve to shield the facilities from oversight.
DHS bought the two Southern California prisons, Otay Mesa Detention Center and California City Detention Center, for about $1.5 billion, but the facilities will still be operated by CoreCivic employees, meaning the company will still generate income, over and above the sale price, from both prisons. California law requires that privately held detention centers be subject to oversight by local and state authorities, as well as members of Congress.
Now that DHS owns the buildings, finding out what’s going on inside of them is likely to become harder.
Independent journalist @kevinhfoster recently spoke with community members outside of Otay Mesa who have heard from detainees via notes they've managed to get out in bottles thrown over the fence.
The Department of Homeland Security has purchased two privately-run detention facilities from the for-profit prison company CoreCivic, the company announced, in a move that may serve to shield the facilities from oversight.
DHS bought the two Southern California prisons, Otay Mesa Detention Center and California City Detention Center, for about $1.5 billion, but the facilities will still be operated by CoreCivic employees, meaning the company will still generate income, over and above the sale price, from both prisons. California law requires that privately held detention centers be subject to oversight by local and state authorities, as well as members of Congress.
Now that DHS owns the buildings, finding out what’s going on inside of them is likely to become harder.
Independent journalist @kevinhfoster recently spoke with community members outside of Otay Mesa who have heard from detainees via notes they've managed to get out in bottles thrown over the fence.
