The Trump Administration failed to respond by a 5:00 pm deadline tonight to San Diego County’s request to allow a full public health inspection of the Otay Mesa Detention Center scheduled for this Friday. 

Following the missed deadline, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has authorized County Counsel Damon Brown to file a lawsuit in federal court next Tuesday against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and CoreCivic — the Tennessee-based private prison company that owns and operates the Otay Mesa detention facility.

“Our approach will remain measured, legally, sound and respectful of our constitutional boundaries. But we will defend San Diego County's lawful authority to conduct health and sanitation inspections pursuant to this statute and establish public health standards,” said Damon Brown, County Counsel for San Diego County.

 More information will be released on that court filing news conference later this week.  

“California law gives our Counties the authority to inspect facilities like Otay Mesa for a reason,” said Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer. “Diseases don’t stop at locked gates. Staff go home to their families every day, and what happens inside that facility affects the health of our entire community. When there are reports of unsafe conditions, the County has a duty to investigate. And if the federal government refuses to allow that inspection, a court will enforce the law.”

“By allowing a private contractor to override San Diego County Supervisors and public health officials, the Trump Administration has sent a clear message: the private contracts at Otay Mesa outweigh transparency and basic human dignity,” said Board Chair Pro Tem Paloma Aguirre. “We are ready to file a lawsuit in federal court to ensure CoreCivic and ICE honor our clear legal authority to protect the health and safety of everyone within San Diego County’s borders and jurisdiction.”

Background

San Diego County scheduled a public health inspection of the Otay Mesa Detention Center more than a week in advance under California Health and Safety Code Section 101045.

Before the inspection, ICE officials confirmed in writing that Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer and Board Chair Pro Tem Paloma Aguirre had been cleared to enter the facility as part of the County’s inspection team.

On February 20, San Diego County Public Health Officer Dr. Sayone Thihalolipavan arrived at the facility to begin the inspection.

Dr. Thihalolipavan was permitted only limited access. He was briefly shown a kitchen and two medical bays but was denied access to medical records, confidential interviews with detainees, and facility health policies — the information required to conduct a full public health inspection.

When Chair Lawson-Remer and Chair Pro Tem Aguirre arrived later to join the inspection team, detention officials informed them that national ICE leadership had reversed the earlier approval and that they would not be allowed to enter the facility.

Detention officials threatened to summon the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department if the supervisors did not leave the premises.

The potential legal action follows weeks of alarming reports from inside the facility.

Otay Mesa Detention Center is operated by CoreCivic under a federal contract reported to be worth roughly $269 million over the past year. The company collects approximately $217 per detainee per day from federal taxpayers.

Detainees have described freezing temperatures, untreated medical conditions, and food unfit for human consumption.

More than 30 people died in ICE custody in 2025 — the highest annual total in two decades. Several additional deaths have already been reported in 2026.

Inspection Request

In a letter sent March 3 to ICE officials, San Diego County Public Health Officer Dr. Sayone Thihalolipavan followed up on the County’s request to complete the inspection.

The County had provided the information ICE requested six days earlier and had been awaiting confirmation that the inspection could proceed.

“We responded to your questions six days ago and anticipated that approval would have been granted by now,” Dr. Thihalolipavan wrote.

He informed ICE that the County intended to complete the inspection on March 6 and requested confirmation that federal officials would allow full access to the facility.

“If we do not receive the necessary clearances and confirmation… we will construe the agency’s inaction or refusal as a denial of our right to complete an inspection under Health and Safety Code 101045 and will take appropriate steps to enforce our rights under the statute,” he wrote.