This week, San Diego County filed a lawsuit in federal court after we were blocked from conducting a lawful public health inspection at the Otay Mesa immigration detention facility. 

This may sound like a narrow legal dispute. It isn’t.

It’s about whether local public health officials can do their jobs to protect the health and safety of everyone who lives and works in our region.

Over the past several weeks, County leaders have received troubling reports from detainees and their families describing freezing temperatures, untreated medical conditions, lack of access to medications, and food that people say is unsafe to eat. Some individuals have described being afraid to report symptoms or seek care.

These are serious allegations. They may or may not be accurate.

But when credible concerns are raised about infectious disease risks, sanitation, or access to medical treatment in a congregate facility, public health officials have a responsibility to verify the facts.

They Slammed the Door…

Public health risks don’t stop at locked gates. Staff and contractors move between the facility and the broader community every day. Visitors come and go. If illnesses spread inside — whether flu, measles, COVID, or other infectious diseases — they don’t stay contained. They can affect families, workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods across San Diego County.

That’s why our Public Health Officer scheduled an inspection last month after receiving troubling reports about conditions inside the facility. Under a new California law, counties have the authority to inspect privately operated detention centers to make sure basic health and safety standards are being met. San Diego County is the first in the state to try to use that authority.

Federal officials initially cleared the visit. But when our inspection team arrived, access was sharply limited. And when Board Chair Pro Tem Paloma Aguirre and I came to observe, we were denied entry altogether.

So this week, we went to court.

We’re Pounding the Gavel

We are asking a federal judge to require the federal government and the facility’s private operator, CoreCivic, to allow a full inspection so our public health experts can determine whether conditions meet legal standards — and whether additional protections are needed.

This matters because hundreds of people are detained at Otay Mesa, many of whom have not been convicted of a crime. In America, people are still innocent until proven guilty.

It also matters because transparency and public health oversight are basic responsibilities in a nation governed by laws.

No federal agency and no private company operating in San Diego County is above those laws.

We asked to inspect. They refused. Now the courts will decide.

I will keep you updated as this case moves forward.