According to authorities, the shooting was an orchestrated attack, reportedly to violently protest “fascism.” As of July 16, 15 people had been taken into custody for their roles in the ambush at Prairieland Detention Center, about 35 miles south of Dallas, according to a report from WFAA.
“This escalation in violence is incomprehensible, and those responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons in a July 8 press release. “This is precisely what we have been warning against, as disinformation and dangerous politically motivated rhetoric spreads.”
Within days, 10 of the 11 suspects had been arrested, according to a release from ICE. The last, the man accused of being the shooter, was Benjamin Hanil Song, who was arrested at Meadowcrest Apartments on July 15. His bail was set at $15 million. He is being held at the Prairieland Detention Center where Ward Sakeik, a 22-year-old newlywed, was held for months before being released after multiple failed attempts to deport her to a country to which she had no relation.
Here’s everything you need to know about the four detention centers servicing the Dallas ICE Field Office.
General Information:
According to ICE's website, there are 21 detention center facilities scattered across the state. Each center sets its own rules, for the most part, regarding visitation hours, what you can bring into the center and whether or not you can touch an inmate you are visiting are all up to the individual center.Upon arrest, ICE officers distribute an eight- or nine-digit identifier known as an A-number. Immigrants who have filed a citizenship application will already have an A-number. Plugging an A-number into the federal database search tool will provide information as to which detention center is holding someone.
It’s recommended to call the detention center to coordinate visitation.
Bluebonnet Detention Center
(325) 823-8031400 2nd St., Anson
200+ miles from Dallas
Capacity: 1,000+
In the news: Hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants, allegedly affiliated with the Tren de Agua gang, were scheduled to be deported from the Bluebonnet Detention Center to Venezuela. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a class action lawsuit with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas on behalf of the detainees, claiming the men had not been granted proper notice or a fair trial. Due process, or the right to a fair trial or hearing, is granted by the Constitution regardless of a person’s legal citizenship status. The case is still pending.
Eden Detention Center
(325) 869-2704704 E. Broadway St, Eden
250+ miles from Dallas
Capacity: 660+
In the news: Over half of the Eden Detention Center is used as a low-security prison managed by the U.S. Marshals Service. In the '90s, a string of successful peaceful protests unveiled improper prison conditions and significantly improved inmates' quality of life. Twice, protests demanded that Mexican cuisine be served in the cafeteria for the mostly Hispanic prison population. They were successful both times. Another time, less peacefully, a cafeteria food fight, which caused $250,000 in damages, successfully won the addition of more vegetables to inmates' dinners. In 1991, another food protest escalated to a riot, which was de-escalated by allowing prisoners access to X-rated materials. Since the turn of the century, the prison population has calmed, though there were a few gang fights in the early 2000s and a final riot in 2010.
Prarieland Detention Center
(817) 409-39951209 Sunflower Lane, Alvaredo
35+ miles from Dallas
Capacity: 700+
In the news: Ward Sakeik, a recent graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, was detained at the Prairieland Detention Center after being bounced across the country following international travel. Sakeik, born in Saudi Arabia to Palestinian refugees, has lived in the United States since she was 8 years old, but is not a legal resident of any country. She has an active green card application. Following 3,000 signatures and the involvement of U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Sakeik was released in early July after months of detention.
Rolling Plains Detention Center
(940) 864-6200118 County Road 206, Haskell
190+ miles from Dallas
Capacity: 500+
In the news: This facility closed in March 2017 because of staffing shortages. Reports at the time revealed the center was 45 employees short of a full staff. It reopened in October 2018 with an equal number of employees, but the community praised the “new job opportunities.” All 555 beds were filled within months of reopening.
