Wednesday: T. Don Hutto Forum in Georgetown

I'll be speaking at a forum this Wednesday in Georgetown on the T. Don Hutto detention center.  Here are the details:

Immigration Reform Effort sponsors this forum on the controversial T. Don Hutto Family Residential Facility in Taylor, run by the for-profit Corrections Corporation of America.

Panelists include Barbara Hines, clinical professor of law and director of the Immigration Clinic at UT School of Law and co-counsel in the lawsuits challenging conditions at T. Don Hutto; Scott Medlock, Attorney; Prisoners' Rights Advocate in the Austin office for the Texas Civil Rights Project; Bob Libal, Texas Coordinator, Grassroots Leadership, which works to abolish for-profit private prisons; and Jose Orta, President, LULAC Council 4721, longtime Taylor resident and critic of T. Don Hutto.

Location: Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. 8th St.

Originally, the forum had been envisioned as a debate between critics of Hutto and public supporters of the prison, including representatives of Corrections Corporation of America, U.S. Representative John Carter, and Williamson County Judge Dan Gattis.  However, as the Austin Chronicle pointed out last week, supporters of the forum have chosen not to participate in the forum:

Immigration Reform Effort founder MaryEllen Kersch, former mayor of Georgetown, conceived the forum to allow the public to confront Hutto authorities. However, as Kersch told the Chronicle, a three-hour conversation with U.S. Rep. John Carter's aide, Jonas Miller, was futile. "Miller related that the congressman is completely supportive of Hutto in every aspect," Kersch said. Another lengthy meeting with WilCo Judge Dan Gattis offered hope. Though afraid of an "ambush," according to Kersch, Gattis "was still open to a discussion." Sweetening the pot, Kersch offered to scrap the "pro" and "con" format and screen audience questions. Still, no dice – Gattis would skip the forum and stand by ICE and CCA, whose officials sent apologies that they wouldn't attend.