No plans to turn FCI Dublin women's prison into ICE facility: DHS
DUBLIN, Calif. - The Department of Homeland Security said that there are no plans to use the vacant FCI Dublin women's prison – closed in 2024 following a national sex scandal – for any type of ICE immigration detention.
No plans for ICE detention
In an email, a DHS spokesperson wrote to KTVU this week to say: "ICE does not have plans to use the FCI Dublin for immigration detention."
The inquiry was sent after community activists and the Bay Area have been wondering what will become of the land and buildings that once housed incarcerated women, but closed in April 2024 when the Bureau of Prisons announced it couldn't change the sexualized culture there. Ten correctional officers, including the former warden, were charged with sex crimes; all but one have been convicted.
The rest of the DHS statement was a bit confusing, and the spokesperson didn't respond for comment seeking more clarification.
"Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE has new funding to expand detention space to keep murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists off American streets before they are removed for good from our communities," the email said. "Secretary [Kristi} Noem aims to work with officials on both sides of the aisle to expand detention space to help ICE law enforcement carry out the largest deportation effort in American history."
Interfaith activists held a rally to protest the now-closed FCI Dublin prison from turning into an ICE detention center. April 16, 2025
74% of detainees have no convictions
The final paragraph of the email listed five men arrested in California for either being arrested for or convicted of murder, child cruelty, manslaughter and lewd acts with a minor.
The Transactional Records Clearinghouse, or TRAC, at Syracuse University has collected data showing that 74% of the nearly 70,000 people being held in detention by ICE in the United States, have no criminal conviction on record. And those who do, may have a minor offense, like a traffic violation.
Survivor pleased
Darlene Baker, a survivor of sexual assault at FCI Dublin who is now out of prison, told KTVU that she is relieved to finally receive written confirmation from DHS that the Dublin facility will not be used for ICE detention.
"We have advocated strongly since its closure in April 2024 that this facility not be used to house any human beings, not only due to its decades-long history of fostering sexual assaults and abuse, but also due to documented environmental toxins and crumbling infrastructure throughout the facilities," Baker said. "It is not habitable for humans. We are grateful for the widespread support from the Dublin area communities, and elected officials to accomplish this goal."
Powerless in Prison: The fallout of FCI Dublin
In April, the Bureau of Prisons abruptly shut down the troubled FCI Dublin. KTVU interviews dozens of women and explains what led up to the closure, questioning whether this was retaliation for outside oversight over the prison, which has been riddled with sex abuse for decades.
Skepticism with DHS comment
Jean Laner, a staff attorney with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, told KTVU on Friday that she likes getting the DHS on record saying they have no plans to turn the former prison into an ICE detention center.
But she quickly added: "I know this agency sort of plays around with what the truth is and the detention center could eventually be bought up by a private prison company and, so then it might not actually be like the DHS owning it but it might be a private company."
Lenar also noted that the DHS email was confusing because they talked about the huge budget their agency was given last year by Congress with a six-fold increase in detention funding.
"So they definitely have more than enough money to convert this property, and they are hungry for extra property to detain people," she said.
For all these reasons, Lenar said, "we're still definitely monitoring what happens as BOP tries to dispose of the facility."
Dan Morley, a member of Indivisible Tri-Valley and ICE Out of Dublin Coalition, agreed with Lenar.
"Their statements have been unreliable, full of bluster and bombast," Morley said. "I would like to believe they have no plans for immigration detention at FCI Dublin, but they have not shown me they can be trusted."
Powerless in Prison: Surviving Sex Abuse
Over the course of eight months, KTVU has spoken with more than three dozen women who say they have been sexually assaulted or witnessed such abuse at FCI Dublin. Many who spoke up were retaliated against.
What will become of property?
Just what will become of the abandoned 87 acres of property off Interstate Highway 580 by Dougherty Road is unclear.
The last known public document regarding the property was a memo written by the Bureau of Prisons on Dec. 4, 2025, which outlines that it would take "substantial capital investment" to bring the 1970s buildings up to code and meet environmental requirements.
The facility is plagued with asbestos, black mold, leaks, sewage overflows, water contamination, according to court documents and witness testimony that emerged during the sex offense trials of various correctional officers.
During one of those court hearings, Former BOP William Lothrop testified before a federal judge in Oakland that the prison needs "tens of millions of dollars" in repairs to address these major problems.
The BOP memo also states that the federal prison system wants to "permanently deactivate, close and dispose of FCI Dublin" and transfer the property to the General Services Administration for "ultimate disposition."
Aerial view of FCI Dublin.
Environmental assessment underway
At the time, the BOP said it was preparing an environmental assessment of the property, which would be circulated to the public when it was completed – which hasn't happened yet.
Meanwhile, community members and activists have made their opposition to an ICE facility in Dublin clear, including a symbolic resolution passed last year that states the city council doesn't want the former prison to be turned into an immigration center.
In fact, U.S. Congressman Eric Swalwell, who is running for governor, held a mini-news conference on Thursday in front of the closed prison, said the "madness must stop" and that the "disgraced facility" behind him shouldn't be "further disgraced" by being it turned into an ICE facility.
"This community is good," Swalwell said. "ICE is evil."