Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, says the conditions inside the facility are horrendous.
"I've had detainees come out and they are sobbing because of the conditions there," Chu said. "They should not be imprisoning people."
The facility opened in 2010, and is operated by The GEO Group, Inc. Chu claims that because the facility is being operated by a for-profit corporation, administrators are putting profit margins over the safety and well-being of the immigrants being detained.
"Their main motivation is indeed the profit, which means they skimp on medical care, food, maintenance conditions. And that they just ignore sexual and physical abuse reports. The alarm bells have been ceaselessly rung, and yet the Adelanto doors remain open."
The Office of Inspector General released a report in 2018 describing some of the conditions found during an unannounced trip in 2018, saying officials found immigrants confined to wheelchairs for days at a time, and some immigrants going years without being treated by a dentist.
They also found bed sheets made into nooses hanging in many of the cells.
"It's just horrendous," said Chu. "These are immigrants. This is not supposed to be a prison, and yet it is a prison."
Chu also claims that currently, the facility only has three immigrants being detained.
"And yet, they are paying for all the employees. So it's a waste of money, a huge waste of money. Just close that facility down, which has been proven to not comply with any standard of care."
Eyewitness News reached out to The GEO Group for comment, and we're still awaiting a response.
ICE - which announced in October that it was extending its agreement with The GEO Group through Dec. 19 - releasing the following statement:
"The extension allows the agency to maintain readiness while planning future use of the facility.... ICE continues to modernize the immigration system as resources allow to realize cost efficiencies across the operational landscape."