After voting unanimously to enter an Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) with the Department of Homeland Security and a subcontracting agreement with Abyon, LLC. on March 12, the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors has faced criticism over their vote from legal groups, activists, and advocates – including Longwood students – citing human rights concerns and the activists’ belief that the Board of Supervisors violated the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
In a press release from the Board of Supervisors on March 20, Board Chairwoman Pattie Cooper-Jones said, “The Board realizes this decision will not please everyone, but we are unanimous in our belief that keeping the ICA facility in operation is in the best interests of the County, the community, and the employees and their families who are employed at the facility.” The Rotunda currently has an outstanding Virginia Freedom of Information Act request for both agreements.
In a letter from legal groups the National Immigration Project, Detention Watch Network, Legal Aid Justice Center, and National Immigrant Justice Center sent to the Board of Supervisors on March 14 and published online the day after – they accused the Board of Supervisors of violating the Virginia Freedom of Information Act several times during closed sessions over the last several months. Furthermore, they argue the vote taken on March 12 to approve the IGSA and subcontracting agreement was unlawful.
County Administrator Doug Stanley responded to these allegations in an email statement to The Rotunda on March 20. He wrote, “A public hearing is not required for the agreements relating to the detention facility. The motions and votes on the approval of the agreements were properly made,” adding, “We understand that some people are opposed to the national policies that these sort of detention facilities represent, and those people will try every legal avenue to oppose those policies, but blocking this facility and the county agreements related to it will have no effect on those policies.” Stanley also highlighted the “significant economic benefit to the citizens of Prince Edward County” the Board believes the facility would bring.
The economic benefit officials say the facility would bring has been a major argument in favor of the facility among the Board of Supervisors. According to the aforementioned press release, a third-party consulting firm found the facility would bring, "304 direct, indirect, and induced jobs,” “$22.7 million in wages and benefits,” and “$32.0 million in economic output.” Furthermore, the county also says the new contract will “require increased transparency & accountability on the part of ICA.”
The Rotunda interviewed District 1 Supervisor E. Harrison Jones, who represents the Farmville district, on March 15. Jones said the facility would bring a “stream of revenue” into the county, which could be used for “capital improvement projects,” mentioning the elementary school renovation in particular as an example.
Jones also commented on human rights concerns from those who attended the meeting, calling ICA-Farmville a “pristine facility” that “treats inmates with the utmost respect.” Jones also said, “I, as well as anyone, can appreciate Longwood students getting involved” as a college student himself who is concurrently serving on the Board of Supervisors.
Multiple Longwood students spoke at the meeting on March 12, including President of the Hispanic Latino Association Gabriella Bustillos, Asian Student Involvement Association President Sarah Gandham, Black Student Association President Myles Johnson, Torrence Sydnor, and College Democrats President Cynaria Mitchell – speaking for Jocelyn Watson.
Bustillos, who has been a vocal advocate for shutting down the facility, spoke to The Rotunda in an interview on March 14. “We had received news that they are looking into a contract with ICE, so our reason to go was to explain to them the history of ICA-Farmville,” she said.
During the interview, she said, “I would have thought that they would have had some sort of conversation with us because we were just talking to them, but they weren't talking to us.” At the meeting, the Board did not directly address student concerns, instead thanking them for their words and presence.
Furthermore, dozens of other students, community members, and activists were put in an overflow room. The aforementioned letter from the legal advocacy groups claims that the room “did not have adequate audio capabilities,” adding, “Many constituents were thus denied the opportunity to attend the meeting.”
For further context, activists – many of whom are Longwood students – have repeatedly demonstrated against Immigration Centers of America (ICA) Farmville, an immigration detention facility located in Farmville. Previously, these activists have spoken at the Town Council demanding the closure of the facility over human rights concerns – including allegations of abuse, disease outbreak, spoiled food and other inhumane conditions.
The Town Council announced earlier this year it would exit its own contract with ICA-Farmville on March 29. On February 13, the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors approved a motion to begin negotiations to establish a new contract for a detention facility to, in essence, assume the Town of Farmville’s role in the ICA-Farmville contract – which the Board of Supervisors then voted to do on March 12.
The Rotunda will continue to follow this developing story.
