PRESS RELEASE SHERIFF’S OFFICE – REGARDING A PROTEST AT THE ORANGE COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
Jewish Community Plans for Demonstration At Correctional Facility Tonight Against Immigration Detainee Policies Criticized By Sheriff’s Office
PRESS RELEASE SHERIFF’S OFFICE – REGARDING A PROTEST AT THE ORANGE COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
“Regarding tonight’s scheduled protest at Orange County Correctional Facility (OCCF) the Sheriff’s Office respects the right of people to peaceably assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. However, the protest organized by Rabbis Marcus Rubenstein of Temple Sinai in Middletown, Rebecca Shinder of Temple Beth Shalom of Florida and Rachel Rubenstein, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orange County is utilizing language that is inconsistent with facts. The use of the words torture and terrorism, for example, to describe legal actions taken by the government of the United States is disingenuous at best.
Any person being detained by ICE and housed within the OCCF is there as part of the legal process established by law. Most of the detainees have committed crimes within the United States separate and apart from the crime of illegally crossing into the United States, some are subject to active judicial deportation orders as a result thereof. The OCCF is one of the most accredited jails in the United States and the Sheriff’s Office takes exception to any suggestion that any detainee is mistreated or neglected in any way. The policies, procedures and conditions of the housing have been repeatedly reviewed by independent accreditors with no violations cited over a period of years of operations.
Every American is or should be aware of the crisis at our southern border. The federal facilities available in that region have been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of illegal crossings. The Sheriff’s Office suggests that those persons that are genuinely concerned with the housing conditions of detained persons should be supportive that the federal government chose one of the most accredited jails in the country to house some of their detainees.
If the Orange County Government chose to discontinue housing federal detainees, it would not result in the release of those detainees. It would result in many detainees being transferred from one of the most accredited jails in the country to a facility that is not so.”
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