Case: Ligaya Ronduen v. The Geo Group, Inc.

This is a case about the alleged improper use of a toxic chemical at Adelanto Immigration Detention Facility. On March 20, 2023, seven individuals currently and formerly detained at Adelanto Detention Center (“Adelanto” or “the Facility”) filed this putative class action in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The plaintiffs sued The GEO Group (“GEO”, the owner and operator of the facility in which they were detained) under state law. Represented by the Social Justice Legal Foundation, the plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief, as well as damages. They also sought to certify a class of “[a]ll persons who were detained at Adelanto Detention Center between February 2020 through April 2021 that were exposed to HDQ Neutral” ("detained class”). The case was assigned to Judge Dale S. Fischer and Magistrate Judge Kenly Kiya Kato. 

The plaintiffs alleged that GEO had improperly used a toxic chemical at Adelanto from February 2020 through April 2021. Specifically, they claimed that the defendant, in response to COVID-19, had sprayed a powerful aerosol chemical called HDQ Neutral throughout the facility. While it was used as a cleaning disinfectant before the pandemic, the plaintiffs alleged that GEO had significantly changed the manner and frequency of its use beginning in February 2020. Due to the continued exposure, the plaintiffs allegedly suffered from a variety of negative side effects. 

The plaintiffs asserted that: (1) GEO was negligent in its use of HDQ neutral and breached its duty to the plaintiffs; (2) GEO committed battery by intentionally harming the plaintiffs through their spraying of HDQ Neutral; (3) GEO controlled the premises of the Adelanto facility at all times and created a hazardous condition on the premises through the spraying of HDQ neutral; (4) GEO concealed its improper use of HDQ Neutral and failed to fulfill the special duty owed to inform the plaintiffs of the improper use; (5) GEO made false representations to the public and the plaintiffs about its use of HDQ Neutral and also about the lack of PPE available to protect plaintiffs from the toxic chemical; and (5) GEO made false representations to both the public and the plaintiffs about its use of HDQ Neutral and intended for them to rely on those misrepresentations. They claimed that all of these actions violated California state law.

On April 3, 2023, the case was transferred to Judge Jesus G. Bernal and referred to Magistrate Judge Shashi H. Kewalramani for all further proceedings. 

As of April 16, 2023 this case was ongoing.