ICE officers raised concerns over ‘unsafe’ conditions at Manhattan detention facility
Police clash with protesters after ICE arrest in New York
Internal documents, including emails and testimony from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from last year, reveal significant concerns about “insane” and “unsafe” conditions at a makeshift detention facility on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan.
Despite public denials from Homeland Security, ICE officials internally acknowledged severe overcrowding, with one officer stating the facility held over 200 people and was “never designed for such an operation.”
Detainees reported “dreadful” conditions, including sleeping on cement floors, inadequate food and medical care and unsanitary environments, often held for days in spaces intended for short-term stays.
A federal judge had previously ordered improvements and capacity restrictions, but newly released messages indicate ICE officials were aware of violating these orders shortly after they were issued.
These revelations surfaced during a trial challenging immigration detention practices under the Trump administration, with lawyers arguing the crisis was a direct and foreseeable result of the administration’s policies.
