Roger Parloff @rparloff 3h
Judge Kaplan grants preliminary injunction against unconstitutional and inhumane treatment at 26 Federal Plaza immigrant detention center. "This is the United States of America. We aspire to treat all Americans -- *and* those among us -- with humanity."
Filed 09/17/25:
Document page with text discussing a preliminary injunction against treatment at 26 Federal Plaza immigrant detention center. The text includes quotes about the United States of America and humanity, referencing Abraham Lincoln: https://t.co/pDVHQAncf3
Plaintiff claims that detainees there have been subjected to inhumane conditions of confinement and deprived of meaningful and reliable access to legal counsel, presumably because the Fed Hold Rooms were not designed to detain people for extended periods, let alone in large numbers.
On August 8, 2025, plaintiff sought a temporary restraining order ("TRO") and a preliminary injunction. On August 12, 2025, this Court granted a TRO that barred ICE from using the Fed Hold Rooms unless it made substantial improvements in conditions. Plaintiff's preliminary injunction motion ultimately was supported by declarations of persons who had been detained in the Fed Hold Rooms or reported accounts of others who had been there.
These declarations attested that:
* Many detainees were housed in the Fed Hold Rooms for multiple days and, in some cases, weeks.
Moreover, defendants concede that some percentage of detainees - although less than a majority - are detained at Fed for greater than 72 hours. Given the volume of people detained at Fed, even assuming only 10 percent of detainees have been held for longer than 72 hours, many people have been detained for more than 72 hours.
* Detainees were packed into often incredibly crowded rooms, with up to 90 people in a 20 square meter room.
* Detainees were forced to try to sleep, if sleep were possible, in illuminated rooms on concrete floors with no bedding and only a thin aluminum blanket. Many were unable to lie down due to the crowded conditions and sought sleep while sitting up. Some had to sleep near open toilets because there was no other space.
* Detainees were unable to bathe or shower for the duration of their detention. They were not provided with adequate basic hygiene resources like soap, sanitary napkins, toothbrushes and toothpaste, clean clothing, and toilet paper. One detainee reported that a hold room occupied by over 20 women was provided with only two menstrual pads, that she was unable to get one, that she menstruated for several days, and that she bled into her clothing, which she wore for at least much of her 10 day detention at Fed.
* Detainees were provided two small rations of food a day and limited water, causing substantial weight loss in some instances.
* Some detainees were denied timely medical attention and necessary medications.