Feds move 13 of 20 inmates to Guam, Hawaii, LA

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement gradually transferred 13 of its 20 detainees to Guam, Hawaii, and Los Angeles in California over the last four weeks or so, while the CNMI works on ICE’s concerns about the inadequacy of healthcare services for federal inmates at the Susupe prison.

Attorney General Edward Buckingham said these transfers are “operational decisions” made by ICE. He said the CNMI expects the population of detainees to remain at about seven for now, though specific detainees will come and go.

“The Commonwealth and ICE collaborate on a range of issues including housing detainees. We expect that the population will return to 20 once the healthcare issues are addressed. Both ICE and the Commonwealth are proceeding with the understanding this is a priority. There is no specific timeline in place,” Buckingham said in response to Saipan Tribune questions.

Some of ICE’s requirements, including having an in-house nurse at the Susupe prison or an on-call nurse, are difficult to meet at a time when the Department of Corrections and Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. are financially struggling, other sources said yesterday.

A former member of the CNMI Prison Task Force and former CNMI Immigration director, Rep. Tony Sablan (R-Saipan), said yesterday that it would be best if the U.S. Bureau of Prisons also visit and check the Susupe prison for a “more neutral assessment.”

Sablan said ICE is a “client” of the CNMI, whose assessment could also be geared toward lowering the bed rate or the conditions of the “task orders.”

“I’m surprised that it’s ICE that’s bringing up the issue and not the Bureau of Prisons or the U.S. Department of Justice about services at the prison. We should have an independent entity reviewing the condition at the prison, and not just a client like ICE,” said Sablan.

ICE representatives recently visited the Susupe prison complex in connection with its negotiations with the CNMI on ICE’s use of the facility to house its inmates.

ICE has yet to respond to media inquiries regarding specific healthcare concerns for federal inmates at the Susupe prison, although CHC said these have to do with dental services, improved medical records organization, medical consent forms, medical staffing, diabetic supplies and mental health assessment, among other things.

The $89 rate per inmate per day that the CNMI is currently charging ICE covers only the detainee’s housing and basic medical care, Buckingham said.

For additional services such as hospital visit and transportation, among other things, these are billed in addition to the daily $89 fee.

Once ICE’s concerns are addressed, it could move back inmates to the Susupe facility either to the previous level or more, including up to 50.

Buckingham said “the increase to 50 is part of long term planning by both ICE and the Commonwealth.”

“Both parties recognize the positives—that the Department of Corrections operates a safe, security facility and its operations are appropriate and acceptable to ICE. However, healthcare for detainees is an essential component and this issue, primarily addressed by services from [CHC] is a critical ingredient to getting back to 20 and then moving to 50,” the AG said.

Buckingham also said there are other technical issues—such as development of video conference capacity for immigration hearings—that will also be addressed prior to getting to 50 federal inmates.

“However, healthcare is the immediate, next step,” he added.

Housing 50 federal inmates at the Susupe prison could translate to $1.6 million revenue for the CNMI based on an $89 rate per inmate per day.

The CNMI is upbeat about addressing ICE’s concerns while at the same time cognizant of the challenges.

“There are always going to be challenges. But the governor has committed to collaboration between the CNMI and ICE. The test of a partnership isn’t when everything is working well. It’s when you encounter a problem. We have jointly identified the problems, are working to solve them, and look forward to a continued, positive relationship with ICE. Not only with regard to housing detainees but also in moving forward on the issue of removal of individuals who should no longer be on U.S. soil,” Buckingham said.

The Office of the Attorney General and DOC have been working with ICE on behalf of the CNMI on ICE’s use of the Susupe prison for its detainees.

The latest task order, amounting to $53,400, is for the federal agency’s use of the prison at least through June 30 but that could be extended through May 2013.

The AG said the goal of both the CNMI and ICE “is to continue to have a working partnership and to continue to use the Department of Corrections facility to house administrative [ICE] detainees.”