The El Centro Chamber of Commerce in California toured the Imperial Regional Detention Facility. The facility is operated by MTC for Immigration & Customs Enforcement. The group was pleasantly surprised to see a clean and well-run facility. The following are comments from two of the Chamber members and local business leaders:

Alexis Araujo, Marketing Manager, Payless Auto Insurance Broker

“My opinion on this facility is that it is remarkable. It’s an eye-opener to anybody who hasn’t visited any facility before; to get an inside look on the difference between what the media portrays and creating your own opinion…How clean it is and how respectful the staff is with each other and with the detainees.”

“Not only are there so many programs offered to the detainees, but what surprised me was, even if a detainee wanted or requested something in regard to a program that isn’t practiced on a daily basis, that the staff would make that happen for the detainee.”

Jasmin Rodriguez, Owner/Agent, State Farm Insurance

“Overall, very impressive; very clean and professional. The staff was outstanding. It really, really was an eye-opener for everyone who was part of the tour.”

“We really shouldn’t believe what we see, as far as the media and everything that we hear. This was, you know, there’s no overcrowding. It was just very, very clean. It was professionally handled. I was just very, very impressed by everything.”