Immigrant family protests California jail's ban on physical visitation

During an ICE adjustment interview in San Jose, Samantha Sanchez learned her husband Allen Tayson was being detained and sent to California City Detention Facility, the sole immigration jail in California that prohibits contact visits. The ban forces the family, including a pregnant mother and two young children, to rely on costly phone and video calls, creating emotional distress and financial hardship. Tayson, facing possible deportation to the Philippines, refused glass-only visits after a painful prior incarceration.

In response, detainees and advocacy groups have launched the “Hugs Beyond Bars” campaign, citing a California DOJ report that staffing shortages violate CoreCivic’s own visitation policy. Critics say the private-prison operator’s cost-cutting motives exacerbate the hardship and may coerce detainees into abandoning their cases. The campaign has collected more than 1,200 signatures and is urging Senator Alex Padilla to spearhead a congressional push to pressure ICE and CoreCivic to restore physical visitation.