A federal judge has described the conditions inside an ICE facility near Chicago as “disturbing,” “disgusting,” and “unconstitutional.” The remarks came during a court hearing reviewing the Broadview, Illinois ICE facility, where hundreds of detainees are being held as part of a national immigration crackdown.
Disturbing Testimonies Reveal Alarming ICE Facility Conditions
The review happened nearly two months after the launch of Operation Midway Blitz, a large-scale immigration enforcement campaign. The ICE facility in Broadview, located about 12 miles west of downtown Chicago, serves as a key processing center for individuals detained in immigration raids. The hearing was held after detainees filed a lawsuit claiming they were denied access to lawyers, forced to sign deportation papers, and kept in overcrowded, filthy rooms.
During nearly six hours of testimony, the judge listened to detainees, lawyers, and immigration officials describe life inside the ICE facility. Witnesses said detainees slept shoulder-to-shoulder on floors, next to overflowing toilets and human waste. “That’s unacceptable,” the judge said, visibly angered. He called the situation a violation of basic human dignity.
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According to detainees, the ICE facility lacked beds, blankets, and access to medical care. Officials originally designed the facility to hold people for up to 12 hours while they processed them, but in June they changed the policy to allow detentions of up to 72 hours. However, multiple witnesses testified that officials kept some detainees in the small two-story building for as long as 12 days.
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Federal immigration officials have denied the claims about the ICE facility conditions. In a public statement, the agency said all detainees receive three meals a day, clean water, and phone access to contact families and lawyers. The statement added that medical care is provided and that “any claims of substandard conditions are false.”
Defense attorneys representing the government admitted that the ICE facility is currently over capacity but called the situation a “learning curve.” They said improvements are being made, such as providing disinfectant wipes for detainees to clean themselves.
Lawyers for the detainees strongly disagreed, saying those efforts are nowhere near enough. They accused federal officials of denying detainees their constitutional right to communicate with lawyers. Advocacy groups, including the MacArthur Justice Center and the ACLU, are representing the detainees and say the ICE facility is operating in secrecy, similar to a “black site.”
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One attorney told the court that officials are pressuring detainees to sign deportation papers without legal guidance. She said detainees must contact an attorney within the first few hours after detention, especially when officials try to make them waive their rights. “Access to counsel is more important than ever because once someone signs away their rights, that’s it—it cannot be undone,” she said.
The hearing took place as part of a broader review of immigration enforcement in Illinois. Homeland Security officials say they have arrested more than 3,000 people nationwide since the start of Operation Midway Blitz. The case has also drawn attention as the Supreme Court considers whether the government can deploy National Guard troops to Chicago to support immigration enforcement.
Heartbreaking Stories from Inside the Facility
A mother from Honduras testified via video after her deportation, saying she spent five days in the ICE facility before officials removed her from the U.S. She said officers pressured her to sign deportation papers, believing she was accepting a five-year ban, though it actually barred her for ten years.
Her account was one of several describing harsh conditions inside the ICE facility. Witnesses said officials boarded up windows, placed armed guards on the roof, and restricted visitor access. Another immigrant said officials forced detainees to sleep on the floor and blocked them from leaving the room, which attorneys argued violated constitutional protections.
During the session, the judge said the evidence reminded him of previous lawsuits over overcrowded jails. “It has really become a prison,” he remarked.
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Lawyers representing the detainees asked the judge to issue a temporary restraining order forcing ICE to improve conditions at the ICE facility. The judge did not issue an immediate ruling but ordered both sides to return to court on November 5.
Intense scrutiny continues to surround the Broadview ICE facility as people across the country raise concerns about how officials are treating immigration detainees. The judge’s sharp words—“disturbing,” “disgusting,” and “unconstitutional”—have renewed questions about whether the U.S. government is enforcing the immigration system fairly and respecting basic human rights.