California fines detention center operator $100K over working conditions

California regulators levied $104,510 in fines against the private prison operator GEO Group last month after detained immigrant workers at the Golden State Annex in Central California complained about unsafe conditions, including a lack of protective equipment and proper training, while cleaning the facility for $1 per day.

The investigation by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as CAL/ OSHA, found six violations of state code by the company, which has appealed. The agency’s recognition of the detainees as workers could pave the way for future labor rights fights at other detention centers in the state.

GEO Group spokesman Christopher Ferreira declined to comment on the allegations, citing the pending appeal.

“GEO is proud of its extraordinary record in taking unprecedented measures to protect detainees and staff during the pandemic,” Ferreira wrote in a statement.

The complaint was filed by Immigrant Defense Advocates and the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice on behalf of several detainees whose names were kept confidential. They alleged safety violations including failures by the facility administrators to provide personal protective equipment, maintain sanitary work spaces, prevent the spread of COVID-19 and safeguard against workplace-related illnesses and injuries.

Detainees alleged that they routinely wiped black mold off shower walls at the facility, saw black dust spew from the air vents and used cleaning solutions that lacked instructions, leaving them wondering whether they were being exposed to high concentrations of chemicals. Complaints were ignored, according to the complaint, and the hazards went unaddressed.

Florida-based GEO Group, one of the country’s largest for-profit prison companies, manages 15 detention facilities on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE declined to comment on the fines levied by CAL/OSHA.

One of the complainants, who spoke to the Los Angeles Times on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said he worked a cleaning job at the facility for about two months before the detainees in seven of the eight dormitories collectively decided to stop working early last year.