ICE Ordered to Fix 'Horrifying' Conditions at NYC Facility After Migrant Complaints

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered federal immigration authorities to this instant improve conditions at a New York City immigration holding facility following complaints by detained transients of filthy overcrowded rooms and a lack of basic hygiene products U S District Judge Lewis A Kaplan issued a temporary restraining order requiring U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE to reduce quota improve cleanliness and provide sleeping mats in holding rooms inside Federal Plaza a establishment building in Lower Manhattan The order comes after a lawsuit filed on behalf of detained transients claimed they were subjected to unsanitary and overcrowded conditions extreme temperatures and a lack of access to soap toothbrushes and other essentials according to The Associated Press The displaced persons stated they were fed inedible slop and were subjected to the stench of sweat urine and feces in part due to the rooms having open toilets One woman noted that during her period she couldn t access menstrual products because only two were made available to an entire room of women court filings revealed MEXICO TO EXTRADITE TOP CARTEL LEADERS TO US IN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DEALAt a hearing Tuesday the plaintiffs attorney Heather Gregorio described the facility as having inhumane and horrifying conditions DOJ attorney Jeffrey Oestericher acknowledged that detainees were receiving only two meals per day and were not provided medication or sleeping mats However he pushed back on the overcrowding indicates according to reports by The Hill Present conditions are relevant Oestericher communicated the judge at the hearing To the extent they are talking about overcrowding it does not appear presently that there is overcrowding I think we all agree that conditions at Federal Plaza need to be humane and we obviously share that belief he added I think there is a few factual disagreement In Tuesday's order Kaplan ordered immigration functionaries to provide square feet per person This means the largest hold room s maximum will be brought down to about people after detainees explained there had been at least according to The Associated Press The cells must also be thoroughly cleaned three times a day Leaders are additionally required to provide clean bedding mats and an adequate supply of soap toothbrushes toothpaste and other hygiene products The judge also ordered authorities to ensure detainees have confidential telephone calls with lawyers including interpreters for those who do not speak English BILL MAHER CONFRONTS DR PHIL ON JOINING TRUMP ADMIN'S 'UNPOPULAR' ICE RAIDSBut Judge Kaplan wasn t convinced the situation wouldn t deteriorate again My conclusion here is that there is a very serious threat of continuing irreparable injury given the conditions that I ve been reported about the judge stated at the hearing on Tuesday I have no enforceable way of assuring that any progress that in fact has been made won t backslide very briskly 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 In contemporary times 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 announced in a comment We ll continue to fight to ensure that peoples rights are upheld at Federal Plaza and beyond the report continued The Associated Press contributed to this document