Congress of the United States Washington, AC 20515 June 18, 2018 Tom Wolf Governor Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of the Governor 508 Main Capitol Building Harrisburg, PA 17120 Dear Governor Wolf: As Members of Congress, we collectively write to you today to seek information regarding the Berks County Residential Center located in Leesport, Pennsylvania. As you know, the Center is one of three family detention centers in the United States, holding undocumented children and parents who are seeking asylum. Berks County operates this facility through a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and has made roughly $7 million off the contract!, This facility holds individuals, including children, for an indefinite amount of time as their cases proceed in federal immigration courts. ‘The Berks County Residential Center has a troubling past. In 2016, a guard at the facility admitted to sexually abusing a 19-year-old Honduran woman detained at the Center. This was first uncovered by a 7-year-old git] who was also being detained at the facility and had herself previously experienced abuse prior to entering the Center”. Additionally, Senator Bob Casey brought to our attention the cases of Central American women and children sent to the Center afier fleeing sexual abuse and violence in their home country of Honduras, only to be deported back after claiming unfair asylum interviews’. A local NBC news station also uncovered discrepancies in handbooks given to detainees at the Center. While the English version of the ‘manual claimed that ICE had a zero-tolerance policy for sexual abuse and included steps on how to report it, the Spanish version had four and one half pages instructing females to refrain from talking about sex in order to avoid assault during their time in the facility, essentially putting the blame for any such abuse on potential victims! We understand that in 2016 the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services decided against renewing the facility's child residential license, but a judge reinstated the license and declared that the initial decision was arbitrary and based on political pressure’. We applaud your strong, ongoing support for the immigrant families who continue to be detained in Berks County, 2 https://www.nbephiladelphia.com/news/local/inside-Look-at-ICE-Berks-County-Residential-Center-1-Milion- Boon-for-Local-Government-437112913.html 2 httos://mww.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/23/immigration-detention-center guard-sexual-assault-prison * https//mww.nbephiladelphia.com/news/local/Mother-and-Son-5-Deported-from-Berks-County-immigration-Jail- Back-to-Honduras-Sen-Bob-Casey-421189634.html * httpsi//mww.nbephiladelphia.com/news/local/ICE-Victim-Blames-Immigrants-SexualAssault-Policies- 420776193.html = hnttps://mww.nbephiladelphia.com/news/local/Renewed-Effort-to-Close-Prison-for-Children-by-Berks-County- Immigrant-Groups-479562253.htmlFurthermore, we thank you for continuing to urge the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Homeland Security (DHS) to consider community-based options to serve these families®, However, we remain deeply concerned about the treatment of families at the Berks County Residential Center, and we are committed to working with you to carefully monitor the Center. Toward this end, we respectfully request that you provide us the following information in a timely manner: Do you believe the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has any jurisdiction over the Berks County Detention Center? What options does your Administration have to potentially revoke the Center’s state- issued child residential license, and what conduct would trigger such action? In addition to your request of HHS and DHS, what steps is your Administration taking to prevent more families, including children, from being sent to the Center? In addition to your support for utilizing community-based detention options, what federal action would you advise to prevent more children and families from being sent to the Center and address the failings of the Center or expedite its closure? Again, we thank you for your strong record of support for immigrant communities, both in Pennsylvania and around the country. We look forward to working with you on this particular issue, and continuing to work together to build a future where we no longer detain immigrant children and families for years under such poor conditions Sincerely, da TSSEachez Brendan F, Boyle Member of Congress Member of Congress Madatte. hujer Srshem Michelle Lujan Grisham ‘Adriano Espaillat Member of Congress Member of Congress AM lio “flan J Luis Correa Member of Congress * httos://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Gov-Wolf-Renews-Etfort-to-Revoke-License-of-Berks-County: Residential-Center-421482774.htmlDass ff Darren Soto Member of Congress Grace F. Napolitdno Member of Congress Alhio- Sires Member of Congress ben Tuan Vargas Member of Congress Bkfin > Member of Congress Fae J Nan Bastega Nanette Diaz Bai al Member of Congress Le Aye Ruben Gallego Member of Congress