Congressman: Controversial Plans For Concord Immigrant Detention Center Halted
CONCORD (CBS SF) -- Plans to build a massive tent city detention center for undocumented immigrants on the former Concord Naval Weapons Station have been halted, according to an East Bay congressman.
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., released a statement Wednesday saying he was "pleased the effort to turn Concord Naval Weapons Station into a detention facility has been halted."
However, there was no official word yet from Department of Homeland Security officials on the future of the plan.
Located in the East Bay, the former base was listed among several facilities in the country to house detained migrants, according to a Navy document obtained by Time Magazine.
The memo proposed a camp that could house as many as 47,000 people at the former Naval Weapons Station.
Capt. Greg Hicks, the Navy's chief spokesman, declined to provide details on the matter, telling the magazine, "It would be inappropriate to discuss internal deliberative planning documents."
DeSaulnier and other local politicians were caught off guard by the plan and were quick to condemn it. Concord officials have been negotiating with the Navy to take over ownership of the site for years.
"To now withdraw from that process and shift to a transfer enabling a detention center would negate all those honorable efforts and reflect poorly on future negotiations here and elsewhere for the Navy," Concord Mayor Edi Birsan wrote in a letter to Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer.
In his statement released Wednesday, DeSaulnier called the plan "dangerous and immoral."
"As we advised the Administration, the Concord Naval Weapons Station is an unsafe and inhabitable environment, and to propose housing almost 50,000 people there was both dangerous and immoral," the congressman wrote. "We fought this proposal along with our local officials and dedicated community and will continue to fight against the inhumane and unjust policies proposed by this Administration. It is important not to let our guard down as one tweet can change things."
The plan was discussed at a special meeting of the Concord City Council Wednesday afternoon.
Concord residents lined up to give emotional public comments Wednesday on the proposed migrant detention center.
People spoke even after they got word that homeland security said it has no plans to build a facility at the old Concord Naval weapons station.
The special Concord City Council meeting was called following a leaked draft memo that raised the possibility of a detention center for migrant housing at the former Navy base.
Even though it was unconfirmed, the possibility sparked outrage and protests.
The Mayor of Concord wrote a letter to the Navy opposing a possible facility, but that didn't keep members of the group By Any Means Necessary from demanding a stronger stance.
"We are here today to force this board to pass a resolution that clearly states you will not collaborate with ICE; you will not support a concentration camp," said a representative for the group.
So many people turned out for the meeting that the Fire Marshall had to shut off access as officials opened up an overflow room to accommodate the crowd.
