On Tuesday, a federal judge mandated that federal immigration authorities must swiftly enhance the conditions at an immigration detention facility in New York City. This decision follows reports from detained migrants about dirty, overcrowded environments and insufficient access to basic hygiene necessities.
Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the U.S. District Court issued an emergency order compelling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to decrease the number of detainees, ensure cleanliness, and supply sleeping mats within the holding areas at 26 Federal Plaza, a government location situated in Lower Manhattan.
This order was prompted by a lawsuit representing detained migrants, who alleged they were kept in unsanitary, crowded spaces with extreme temperature variations, and were deprived of essentials like soap and toothbrushes, as reported by The Associated Press.
The migrants described being fed unpalatable food and being exposed to the odors of sweat, urine, and feces, exacerbated by the presence of open toilets in the rooms.
According to court documents, one woman reported that she had no access to menstrual products during her period since only two were provided for an entire room full of women.
The Justice Department acknowledged migrants were only given two meals each day and not provided with their medication or sleeping mats. (AP)
But Judge Kaplan wasn’t convinced the situation wouldn’t deteriorate again.
“I conclude that there is a substantial and ongoing risk of significant harm, based on the conditions reported,” the judge stated during Tuesday’s hearing. “I lack any binding measures to ensure any improvements made won’t quickly deteriorate.”
The lawsuit was brought by the immigrant rights organization Make the Road New York, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union.
“Today’s order sends a clear message: ICE cannot hold people in abusive conditions and deny them their Constitutional rights to due process and legal representation,” ACLU senior staff attorney Eunice Cho said in a statement.
“We’ll continue to fight to ensure that peoples’ rights are upheld at 26 Federal Plaza and beyond,” the statement continued.
