Otay Mesa Detention Center inspection reveals health protocol failures

A San Diego County report regarding the Otay Mesa Detention Center has highlighted significant public health and medical concerns. While the facility generally met state standards during the June 12, 2026, inspection, investigators identified several critical failures.

Key issues included a detainee not receiving a necessary medical device 18 months after admission and a lack of vaccines in stock. Most notably, the report detailed a failure to report tuberculosis cases. Two instances of the disease were discovered by an external medical testing vendor rather than the facility’s own medical staff. The facility reportedly remained unresponsive to communicable disease investigations for several weeks.

County Public Health Officer Sayone Thihalolipavan stated that the failure to communicate promptly regarding tuberculosis is a “serious breach of basic public health protocol” that creates “unacceptable risk” for detainees, staff, and the community. This issue of inadequate reporting was also noted in a 2025 inspection by the Attorney General.