Act Now Against New Immigrant Prison in Farmville, VA

southeast us | migration | announcement Friday October 10, 2008 22:35 by Jeff Winder - The People United

Call those responsible and register your opposition to plans by a private corporation to build a 1,000 bed immigrant detention center in Farmville, VA.

PRIVATE CORPORATION SEEKS TO OPEN 1,000-BED
IMMIGRANT PRISON IN FARMVILLE, VA
TAKE ACTION NOW TO DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY

BACKGROUND:
Last week, it was announced that a private corporation would open a 1,040 bed immigrant detention facility in Farmville, VA. Immigrant solidarity groups in Virginia are in preliminary discussions about a response. As a first step, The People United has been conducting research into the background of the private company, Immigration Centers of America (ICA), and the financial arrangements that they have with local and federal authorities. ICA refused to answer any questions. A spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) distanced the federal agency from ICA, maintaining that their only agreement is with the city of Farmville. City Manager Gerald Spates made a commitment to send answers 10/7. He did not follow through and has since refused to return phone calls.

Private, for-profit prisons have a well-documented history of horrendous human rights abuses. Those responsible need to hear now that we do not want this prison in Virginia. Take action now to show that we will not stand quietly by and allow this to proceed unquestioned.

CALL:
Farmville Town Manager
Gerald Spates (434) 392-5686
ICA Representatives
Ken Newsome (CEO of AMF Bakery Systems) (800) 225-3771
Russell Harper (804) 282-6550 ex. 12
Warren Coleman (804) 282-6550 ex. 14

Call now. We want them to get a big wake-up call Monday morning and for the calls to continue until we get the meeting. Use the talking points below or your own reasons for opposing the prison but remember to make the request for a meeting. Spread the word and call frequently. Forward this message to your networks and any list-serves you think appropriate, but please keep track of where you send it so that we can spread the word when this step ends and the next one begins.

OUR DEMAND:
As a first step, we want you to meet with The People United and other concerned groups and answer all of their questions. We want this meeting to be open to the media.

TALKING POINTS:
- Immigrant detention facilities do not make our communities safer and we do not want to see one built here. It is time for an end to culture of fear and division exemplified by the plans for this new prison.
- We have seen the human rights abuses at other privately run prisons and we will not stand for that here. For example, immigrants in Elizabeth, NJ were awarded $2.5 million in damages after an investigation showed that poorly trained guards served rotting food and physically and mentally abused prisoners.
- Private prisons are not appropriate vehicles for revitalizing our economy. A study by Washington Sate University found that prison construction actually slows economic growth in small towns.