Immigration officials scale back detainee housing at Alamance jail

Federal immigration authorities are limiting the use of a detention center for detainees in Alamance County.

The jail in Graham is one of four detention centers that will be seeing changes after federal authorities vowed last year to make sure they are humane and meet federal standards, according to a release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

ICE had been using the Alamance center for long-term detention. The agency says it will now only use it for stays of under 72 hours if standards are met. ICE raised concerns about conditions at the site, including a lack of outdoor recreation.

The ACLU of North Carolina released a statement last week saying advocates and community members have long warned about conditions at the facility. The organization says detainees should not be held there even in the short term.

ICE is also scaling back housing detainees in two other facilities and plans to stop housing them completely at a detention center in Alabama. The agency says it plans to continue reviewing other centers and adjust its use as appropriate.