New ICE rules for illegal alien detainees

IMPROVING DETENTION
ICE and the private prison company Corrections Corporation of America have agreed to make more than 24 changes at nine facilities. The changes include:

• Relaxing security: Low-risk detainees will have "freedom of movement" in the facilities and will no longer be subject to lock downs or lights out.

• Access: Detainees will be able to have visitors stay as long as they like within a 12-hour window. The facilities will increase attorney visitation space, add un-monitored phone lines and give detainees email and free, Internet-based calling. A unit manager will be available to take complaints directly from detainees.

• Daily life: Detainees will be allowed to wear regular clothing, will have at least four hours of recreation daily, and will be offered cooking, art and dance classes.

Source: ICE
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are preparing to roll out a series of changes at several privately owned immigration detention centers, including relaxing some security measures for low-risk detainees and offering art classes, bingo and continental breakfast on the weekends.

The changes, detailed in an internal ICE e-mail obtained by the Houston Chronicle, were welcomed by immigrant advocates who have been waiting for the Obama administration to deliver on a promise made in August to overhaul the nation's immigration detention system.

The more than 24 changes identified in the e-mail range from the superficial to the substantive. In addition to "softening the look of the facility" with hanging plants and offering fresh carrot sticks, ICE will allow for the "free movement" of low-risk detainees, expand visiting hours and provide unmonitored phone lines.

ICE officials said the changes are part of broader efforts to make the immigration detention system less penal and more humane.

Union objects
But the plans are prompting protests by ICE's union leaders, who say they will jeopardize the safety of agents, guards and detainees and increase the bottom line for taxpayers. Tre Rebstock, president for Local 3332, the ICE union in Houston, likened the changes to creating "an all-inclusive resort" for immigration detainees.

"Our biggest concern is that someone is going to get hurt," he said, taking particular issue with plans to relax restrictions on the movement of low-risk detainees and efforts to reduce and eliminate pat-down searches.

The changes outlined in the ICE e-mail are planned for nine detention centers owned and operated by Corrections Corporation of America, including the 900-bed Houston Contract Detention Facility on the city's north side. Some of the changes will be implemented within 30 days, while others may take up to six months, said Beth Gibson, ICE's senior counselor to Assistant Secretary John Morton and a leader of the detention reform effort.

Some of the other major changes include:

• • Eliminating lockdowns and lights-out for low-risk detainees.

• • Allowing visitors to stay as long as they like in a 12-hour period.

• • Providing a unit manger so detainees have someone to report problems to other than the guard.

• • Allowing low-risk detainees to wear their own clothing or other non-penal attire.

• • Providing e-mail access and Internet-based free phone service.

'It's about deportation'
Gibson said the improvements are part of ICE's efforts to detain immigrants in the least restrictive manner possible while ensuring they leave the country if ordered to do so.

"When people come to our custody, we're detaining them to effect their removal," Gibson said. "It's about deportation. It's not about punishing people for a crime they committed."

ICE officials have faced pressure from immigrant advocates and some members of Congress to improve the detention conditions for the roughly 400,000 immigrants it houses annually. The agency has relied on a hodgepodge of more than 250 government-run detention centers, private prisons and local jails to accommodate its growing population — with roughly one in four detainees held in Texas.

At the CCA facilities that have agreed to ICE's changes, detainees will see more variety in their dining hall menus and have self-serve beverage and fresh vegetable bars.

CCA also plans to offer movie nights, bingo, arts and crafts, dance and cooking classes, tutoring and computer training, the e-mail states.

Detainees also will be allowed four hours or more of recreation "in a natural setting, allowing for robust aerobic exercise."

CCA also committed to improving the look of the facilities, such as requiring plants, fresh paint and new bedding in lower-risk units.

Advocates pleased
Some of the improvements offered at the CCA facilities counted as hard-fought victories for immigrant advocates, including plans to improve visitor and attorney access.

"A lot of these measures are what we've been advocating for," said Lory Rosenberg, policy and advocacy director for Refugee and Migrants' Rights for Amnesty International. "Many of these points are very important to changing the system from a penal system, which is inappropriate in an immigration context, to a civil detention system."

Union members said they have concerns about the plans, primarily focusing on safety.

Rebstocksaid some detainees may be classified as low-risk because they have no serious criminal history, but still may be gang members that "haven't been caught doing anything wrong yet."

He also said eliminating lock downs will make it more difficult to protect detainees from one another. He said reducing or eliminating pat-down searches could allow contraband into the facilities, including weapons.

Gibson, with ICE, said the agency is developing a sophisticated classification system and will make sure "that our detainees are still safe and sound."

"As a general matter, it will be the non-criminals who don't present a danger to anyone else who are benefitting from the lowest level of custody," Gibson said.

Cost to taxpayers
Rebstock also questioned the cost to taxpayers for the changes.

"My grandparents would have loved to have bingo night and a dance class at the retirement home they were in when they passed away, but that was something we would have had to pay for," he said. "And yet these guys are getting it on the taxpayers' dime."

Gibson said CCA is making the improvements at no additional cost to ICE. The agency's latest contract with CCA for the Houston detention center requires that ICE pay $99 per bed daily for each detainee, which is slightly lower than the $102 average daily rate ICE pays nationally for contract detention facilities.

Rosenberg said some of the changes, like new flower baskets, may seem small, but they will combine with the bigger changes to make a difference in the daily lives of detainees.

"Taken together they will go some way to making this system less penal," she said.

The Support Rob Taylor for US Senate store now open

The support "Rob Taylor for US Senate" store now open!!
Now you can show your support and order buttons, bummer stickers, T-shirts and even coffee mugs. All proceeds go to the Support Rob Taylor for US Senate campaign.

http://www.cafepress.com/taylorforsenate
Visit the Rob Taylor for US Senate store today!!!

Articles of Freedom

I am pleased to report that Rob Taylor, who is running for Senate to replace Russ Feingold, has enthusiastically PLEDGED to the Articles of Freedom. It is his intent to execute the Remedial Instruction called for by the Continental Congress once the pledges of the general public has reached 25 – 30 Millions so that the U.S. Government will be compelled to return to the rule of law and, therefore, the small size and spending only needed to handle the EIGHTEEN enumerated powers that We the People authorized in The Constitution, thereby saving us taxpayers TRILLIONS of Dollars and this money remaining in our hands and in our economy resulting in economic prosperity never before imagined and the total restoration of our rights, liberty and happiness.

See

Articles of Freedom

Write In Rob Taylor

Write In Rob Taylor

I retract my support of the WI Raw Milk Bill (SB 434)

I want to issue an apology to the farmers, raw milk consumers and supporters. I must have been drinking milk treated with chemicals yesterday, for me to support this bill. I want to tell everyone that I am not in support of this bill as it stands. What I wanted to say that I am glad we have a bill moving in the direction of allowing raw milk sales and consumption. Everyone knows that I am a supporter of the local and small family farmers who produce raw milk and I am an advocate of the raw milk and honey movement and this bill has language in it that will destroy the farmers.”


It is time for the people of Wisconsin to have the right to raw milk, honey and other food that they deem healthy. Most of you know I show up at the raw milk rallies, often speaking to the crowds and supporting people such as Max Kane in his fight to produce and sell raw milk.


I ask that people will forgive me of this oversight and I hope I can convince people that a mistake was made, that I am sorry about it, and I will move forward in getting it done right. What Wisconsin needs in its state constitution is what Minnesota has in its constitution pertaining to the sale and production of raw milk.”


The language in the bill requires a Grade A license in order to sell raw milk. In order to obtain this or any other license from the Department of Ag Trade and Consumer Protection you must comply with all other provisions of administrative code. The code mandates NAIS. Farmers will have to choose to if they want the dairy license, and if so then they need to register their premises. This another move towards the Codex Alimentarius movement carried out by the USDA in approval of the WHO, and we have to stop it here.



Again, he says, " I am truly sorry for this mistake, and will show that I am indeed a supporter of the raw milk farmers and consumers."

The hearing is schedule as follows:
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Time: 10:00am - 1:00pm
Location:
Chippewa Valley Technical College Room 106/Auditorium 620 West Clairemont Ave Eau Claire, WI 54701

Rob Taylor Mourns the Loss of a Great Wisconsin Institution, The Wisconsin Media.

Taylor issues a challenge to Wisconsin Media, engage in a more comprehensive reporting of candidates and issues with a factual unbiased approach. Are you the still the sentinels of the First Amendment and free speech?

Rob Taylor’s Campaign has noticed that a great institution the Wisconsin Media has been censoring its reporting of the current political news in Wisconsin. The choice has been made to cover only Republicans and Democrats in the upcoming 2010 election cycle. It seems the Wisconsin Media has missed an entire group of independent candidates seeking office at Federal, State, and local level leaving Wisconsinites in the dark as to true diversity of choice that they have in the election process.

The major news outlets have become slanted and biased toward liberal and progressive candidates touting them as mainstream and portraying in a positive light without vetting them as in the past. The selection of a narrow breadth of candidates limits choice and promotes corruption. The natural process of elimination, refinement, and reform stagnates and withers in this state. This does not serve the citizens of Wisconsin well nor does it lend credibility to these once great institutions when an entire slate of Independent Candidates is seeking office and is historically ignored until a week before the elections. Some of those candidates for Federal and State office are:
• Rob Taylor – United States Senate
• Mike Krsiean – 3rd Congressional District, U.S.
• Daniel Mielke – 7th Congressional District, U.S.
• Tim Nerenz - 2nd Congressional District, U.S.
• Samantha Carter – 4th Congressional District, U.S.
• Joe Stern – 8th Congressional District, U.S.
• James James – Governor Wisconsin
The Media’s long-established function in politics has been to bring into view the entire gambit of candidates seeking public office and present them for the public scrutiny. This vital role allows the vetting process to take place in an unprejudiced way which is critical for an informed electorate and ethically functioning Government to exist. This condition results only when an impartial media brings forth the facts for all to see. Taylor challenges the mainstream media to conduct an interview, print a biography, or cover an event in a more timely fashion and spur on the debate that will follow. The healing of our lands from greed and corruption will then begin when all are brought into the light.

Many Wisconsin Mainstream Media outlets have seen their ratings, subscriptions, and listeners decline in the past decade, why, because they have become opinion oriented and moved away from factual unbiased reporting. Taylor’s campaign notes that the First Amendment guarantees a free press and free speech but it must be tempered with responsible and ethical conduct in order to maintain that independent freedom to report news and events in Wisconsin. Unfortunately as the media has gravitated away from factual investigative reporting and into a talking points spin cycle, it has become the mouth piece for the Republican and Democratic parties. Many internet and cable news sites have taken the place of our once proud media outlets and now take up the torch of the free press instead. Covering the issues of all candidates will reconnect the mainstream Wisconsin Media to the mainstream Wisconsin voter that exists outside the Madison beltway. Stop the hemorrhaging. Taylor’s campaign challenges the media to undertake this small step and find your listeners, subscribers, viewers, and market share again. Will you regain trust and prestige in the eyes of the public?

Taylor’s campaign has therefore reiterates this challenge to the Wisconsin Media, give Wisconsin the complete picture, restore your greatness with unbiased and factual reporting, and perform the media’s time-honored role as the guardian of the First Amendment. Will you accept the challenge or will we mourn your loss into the pages of history? We await your response.

Very interesting poll taken yesterday 2/25. Vicki McKenna, the radio host in Madison reported, "just got it confirmed. 500 likely voters. 4.3% margin. 27% GOP, 28% DEM, 42% independent. Very standard survey sample."