A Massachusetts Superior Court judge has mandated that the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office disclose hundreds of anonymized health records of immigrant detainees following a legal challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts.
Judge James Budreau issued the order in early August, concluding a dispute that began when the sheriff’s office declined a public records request filed in December. The ACLU sought medical and health documentation generated for detainees at Plymouth County Correctional Facility, the sole long-term immigrant detention center in Massachusetts. The facility operates under a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and maintains 250 beds designated for immigrant detainees, for which ICE pays $215 daily per occupied bed.
The sheriff’s office had argued that federal immigration law preempted Massachusetts state public records law, contending that federal dominion over immigration matters prevented disclosure of the records. However, Budreau determined that the state retains authority to maintain records related to its oversight of health and safety conditions within state facilities. The judge distinguished between federal regulation of immigration itself and a state’s obligation to document conditions at detention facilities it operates.
The ACLU contended that the sheriff’s position would allow a state agency to circumvent public records obligations through contractual arrangements with federal authorities. The sheriff’s office has stated it will comply with the ruling. The judgment is expected to be formally entered within 30 days unless either party requests a hearing on the motion for summary judgment.
The ACLU’s legal action reflects broader concerns about medical care in immigration detention. A 2024 report by Boston University School of Law and Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts documented insufficient provision of medical care at the Plymouth facility, while an ICE Office of Detention Oversight report found no deficiencies at the same location.
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