Alameda County Opposes Potential Reopening of FCI Dublin as ICE Detention Center

Local officials and community groups voice strong opposition to the prospect of converting the former women's prison into an immigration detention facility.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 12:04am

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A serene, cinematic painting of an empty, sunlit prison yard with a solitary barbed wire fence, conveying a sense of quiet melancholy and the weight of a troubled history.The prospect of converting a shuttered women's prison into an immigration detention center has sparked outrage and concern in the East Bay community.Dublin Today

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution opposing any efforts to reopen the shuttered FCI Dublin women's prison as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention and processing center. Community members and local leaders cited concerns over the facility's history of abuse, the inhumane conditions at other ICE detention centers, and the broader trauma caused by the Trump administration's immigration crackdowns.

Why it matters

The potential conversion of FCI Dublin into an ICE detention center has sparked widespread outrage in the East Bay, with grassroots groups and elected officials vowing to fight the proposal. The facility's troubled past and the broader issues around ICE detention have made this a flashpoint issue in the local community.

The details

FCI Dublin was previously shut down in 2024 after reports exposed a "rape club" among staff who were sexually abusing female inmates. Now, the Trump administration is considering reopening the facility as an ICE detention center, sparking fierce opposition from Alameda County officials and community organizations like the ICE Out of Dublin Coalition. Residents have drawn parallels between the prospect of an ICE detention center and the historic injustices of Japanese-American internment camps and the Holocaust.

  • The Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed the resolution opposing the FCI Dublin reopening on April 9, 2026.
  • In February 2025, federal officials were spotted assessing the shuttered FCI Dublin facility, raising concerns about the Trump administration's plans.
  • The Federal Bureau of Prisons announced the permanent closure of FCI Dublin in December 2024 following the sexual abuse scandal.

The players

Alameda County Board of Supervisors

The governing body of Alameda County, California, which unanimously passed a resolution opposing the reopening of FCI Dublin as an ICE detention center.

Sophie Sarkar

A member of Tsuru for Solidarity, an organization of Japanese-American survivors and descendants of U.S. internment camps, who spoke out against the prospect of an ICE detention facility in Dublin.

Ray J. Garcia

The former warden of FCI Dublin who was found guilty and sentenced to six years in prison in 2023 for the sexual abuse of three female inmates during his tenure.

Elisa Marquez

The District 2 Supervisor for Alameda County who praised the opposition to the possible FCI Dublin redevelopment and ICE's actions against immigrants across the country.

ICE Out of Dublin Coalition

A grassroots organization that has organized protests against the prospect of ICE using the former FCI Dublin prison.

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What they’re saying

“ICE detention subjects people to inhumane conditions and abuse and ICE activity is causing deaths, violence and trauma throughout our communities.”

— Sophie Sarkar, Member, Tsuru for Solidarity

“We know that separating families and holding human beings in inhumane carceral conditions causes deep harm that is passed down from generation to generation.”

— Sophie Sarkar, Member, Tsuru for Solidarity

“We hear you on behalf of all of the residents here in Alameda County and in the country that have been traumatized, that have been disappeared.”

— Elisa Marquez, District 2 Supervisor, Alameda County

What’s next

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors' resolution opposing the FCI Dublin reopening will now be sent to federal officials, including the Department of Homeland Security, in an effort to block any plans to convert the former prison into an ICE detention center.

The takeaway

The strong local opposition to the prospect of FCI Dublin becoming an ICE detention facility highlights the deep mistrust and trauma caused by the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement policies. Community groups and elected leaders are determined to prevent the former women's prison from being repurposed in a way that they believe would subject vulnerable populations to further abuse and inhumane treatment.