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DHS reports 'egregious' violations at four ICE detainment facilities

By Daniel Uria
The Department of Homeland Security reported "egregious" violations at four ICE detainment facilities, including hazardous food conditions and nooses in cells. Photo courtesy of DHS
The Department of Homeland Security reported "egregious" violations at four ICE detainment facilities, including hazardous food conditions and nooses in cells. Photo courtesy of DHS

June 6 (UPI) -- The Department of Homeland Security said it observed "egregious" violations at four facilities for housing Immigrations and Customs Enforcement detainees.

In the general report released on Thursday, DHS said it observed overly restrictive segregation, inadequate medical care, unreported security risks and food safety issues, among other violations at facilities in Adelanto, Calif., Essex County, N.J., LaSalle, La., and Aurora, Colo., that were subject to unannounced visits.

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"In response to concerns raised by immigrant rights groups and complaints to the Office of Inspector General Hotline about conditions for detainees held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, we conducted unannounced inspections at four detention facilities to evaluate their compliance with ICE detention standards," DHS said.

The report stated that DHS inspectors found expired food at all four facilities and segregation practices that infringed on detainee rights and violated standards at three facilities. Two facilities failed to provide recreation outside housing units and two had dilapidated and moldy bathrooms.

Detainees at one facility weren't provided appropriate clothing or hygiene items and one facility only provided non-contact visits despite having the resources to accommodate in-person visits.

An inspection at the Adelanto facility observed nooses in detainees cells and food conditions were so poor at an Essex facility that the kitchen manager was replaced during the inspection.

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"Our observations confirmed concerns identified in detainee grievances, which indicated unsafe and unhealthy conditions to varying degrees at all of the facilities we visited," the report stated.

DHS said it made one recommendation to improve ICE's oversight of facility management and operations and that ICE concurred and described corrective actions to address the issues.

"We consider the recommendation resolved and open," DHS said.

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