1/ NEW: Immigration and Customs Enforcement gave a $185 million contract to MVM Inc. just days after coming under investigation for housing immigrant kids in vacant office buildings. revealnews.org/article/ice-ga…
2/ The deal was done just a few days after we first reported MVM was holding kids in vacant Phoenix office buildings.
3/ Some children held overnight in the buildings – which had no kitchens, showers or yards – were among those separated from their families under President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy.
4/ On July 11, ICE said its contract with MVM “does not allow for children to be in these facilities more than 24 hours.” The agency said it would be reviewing MVM.
5/ But nine days later, it awarded MVM a new five-year contract worth $185 million for translation and interpretation services, records show.
6/ ICE and MVM had gone back and forth on this contract for awhile, by the way.
In fact, it was rescinded twice before ICE granted it in July.
In fact, it was rescinded twice before ICE granted it in July.
7/ It didn’t take lawmakers long to respond to our reporting. In a Sept. 12 letter, U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., requested “a thorough investigation of the treatment of unaccompanied children in MVM custody and suspend their contract pending the outcome of the investigation.”
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