CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif. (KERO) — The California City Council denied two appeals Tuesday night challenging the approval of the CoreCivic ICE detention facility, allowing the city's existing site plan review and CoreCivic's business license to stand.
The appellants — the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and the Dignity Not Detention Coalition — argued immigration detention is not the same as a prison or correctional facility and is not a permitted use under the city's zoning code. They also argued CoreCivic began operating the facility in August 2025, before the city issued its business license in February 2026, and that the city should have required a new conditional use permit.
Robby Kumar of No Camps California said the groups wanted the council to uphold the appeals.
"The appeal that we're asking for is they uphold the appeal and at minimum remand the application back to the planning commission and the city manager for further review, if not invalidated entirely," Kumar said.
CoreCivic's attorney, appearing over Zoom, argued the city code does not prohibit the use of the facility as an immigration facility and that it is permitted as a conditional use.
The debate inside City Hall was not just about the facility itself, but whether the city's existing approvals allow it to operate the way it does today. One appeal challenged a site plan review, and the other challenged CoreCivic's business license.
At one point during the hearing, a public speaker was removed for becoming irate toward the city council.
The council voted 4-1 to deny both appeals. Councilmember Shawn Bradley cast the lone dissenting vote.
The groups that brought the appeals have argued the city could face further litigation if it approved the facility improperly. CoreCivic argues the city's existing approvals are valid and that federal law limits the city's ability to interfere with the facility's use.
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