Press Release

CONSULATE GENERAL JOINS CONSULAR CORPS TOUR OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE SECURITY FEDERAL PRISON

Chicago, 26 October 2022 - The Philippine Consulate General in Chicago, represented by Consul Melvin C. Almonguera and Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Officer Eunika Lesli R. Leyva-Tiongco, joined the Consular Corps’ tour of the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) on 22 September 2022.

The tour was organized by the Office of Foreign Missions, Department of State (Chicago Office) to give consular personnel an overview of consular visit requests for detained foreign nationals, establish good rapport and exchange contact details among OFM-Chicago personnel and MCC officials.

The MCC is an administrative security federal prison located in downtown Chicago, which caters to more than 500 inmates who are undergoing pretrial supervision for crimes which come under the State of Illinois and federal laws. Operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, it houses male and female prisoners of all security levels prior to and during court proceedings in the Northern District of Illinois, as well as inmates serving brief sentences.

It was the first time for the Consulate to see the facilities inside a federal prison, and not just the visitor area. It gave a glimpse of what conditions await violators of federal laws in said State. END

Consul Melvin C. Almonguera (second row, fourth from left) and ATN Officer Eunika Lesli R. Leyva-Tiongco
(front row, third from left)with the US Bureau of Prisons officials and Chicago Consular Corps members