A state psych ward sent him to an S.F. halfway house. He died days later.

San Francisco Supervisor Bilal Mahmood has called for an investigation into GEO Group after Melvin Bulauan's death at a halfway house in the Tenderloin, raising alarms about the facility's conditions. Complaints have surfaced regarding overcrowding and exploitation, prompting Mahmood to seek testimony from GEO representatives. Bulauan, who struggled with mental illness and addiction, had recently been released from a psychiatric ward and was placed in a facility located in a high-drug area. His family expressed concerns about his placement, stating that Bulauan had previously indicated he did not want to return to the Tenderloin. Mahmood plans to subpoena GEO officials to testify about their operations and their federal contracts for detaining immigrants.

Just days before his death, Bulauan called his family in distress, raising concerns about his mental state. GEO Group receives funding per resident and operates two programs within the facility, but it remains unclear which program Bulauan was enrolled in. Calls for accountability have intensified, with Bulauan's family urging local authorities to address the systemic issues surrounding reentry facilities.