Congressman DeSaulnier Statement on Permanent Closure of Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) Dublin
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) made the following statement on the announcement of the permanent closure of Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) Dublin, where for years incarcerated women reported staff sexual misconduct to prison officials and independent agencies alike and experienced deplorable, unsafe living conditions. This announcement follows Congressman DeSaulnier’s continued efforts to hold accountable the perpetrators of the constitutional rights violations and abuse.
“While I am pleased that the decision has been made to permanently close FCI Dublin for the safety and security of those who were in custody there, the fact that we got to this point is deeply troubling. This closure also does not bring justice to the victims of the facility’s long and pervasive history of violations of constitutional rights, culture of sexual abuse, and failure to provide basic health care services.
Facilities like FCI Dublin simply do not meet the United States’s standards, let alone those of the Bay Area, and we must do better. I remain committed to continuing my work to conduct federal oversight and to seek answers from the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) as to how this situation was allowed to continue for so long, get answers about the botched closure, and insist on reforms to root out abuse at other facilities.
I will also work to ensure that the AICs who were transferred and their families do not experience undue hardship as it pertains to visitation rights and that innocent and dedicated staff and whistleblowers are protected.”
FCI Dublin is located in the district that Congressman DeSaulnier represents. Congressman DeSaulnier has acted on behalf of those who have experienced and witnessed abuse at the facility by sending a letter to the BOP demanding answers and accountability, meeting with attorneys representing inmates at the facility and hearing from whistleblowers, visiting the facility to see the conditions firsthand, and sending a letter urging FCI Dublin to immediately fulfill its constitutional obligation to provide meaningful access to legal counsel and provide essential healthcare services to inmates who suffer from serious sexual abuse. Congressman DeSaulnier also sent a letter to Attorney General Garland regarding the closure of FCI Dublin and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) implementation at the facility, and sent a letter to the House Judiciary and Oversight and Accountability Committees asking them to investigate and hold hearings on the recent closure and transfer of inmates from FCI Dublin, the facility’s past pervasive culture of abuse, and BOP facilities and their treatment of inmates more broadly as such action is essential to answer outstanding questions and provide much-needed oversight of BOP.