U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood inspected a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in suburban Cook County that a federal lawsuit said contained “inhumane” conditions.
Underwood, D-Naperville, conducted an “oversight visit” to the ICE facility in Broadview, which is one of the primary facilities used to hold Illinoisan during the controversial Operation Midway Blitz.
The visit was in response to “widespread community outrage” at Operation Midway Blitz’s constitutional violations and ongoing questions about immigration enforcement practices Illinois, according to Underwood.
“My visit confirmed serious concerns about conditions, staffing, record keeping, and transparency. I will continue pressing for accountability and immediate corrective action,” Underwood said.
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Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Robert Gettlemen ordered federal authorities to improve the conditions of the Broadview facility in response to lawsuit by a group of detainees who alleged they were being kept in “inhumane” conditions, according to the Associated Press.
Gettlemen ordered the holding rooms at the facility must be cleaned twice a day, detainees must be allowed to shower at least every other day and they should have three full meals and bottled water upon request.
In Underwood’s statement on Monday, she reported seeing “holding areas that did not meet ICE’s detention standards.”
“Toilet stalls had three-foot tall privacy barriers, only providing privacy for those seated. Some holding rooms had space for more than thirty people but lacked showers,” according to Underwood’s statement.
Broadview facility staff reported detainees were held for two to three nights in October, which is “far beyond” the 12-hour limit that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security waived for all processing centers last June, according to Underwood.
Underwood was informed there were no medical staff at the Broadview facility and officers call 911 for emergencies.
No timeline was provided on when the facility would receive assistance from ICE Health Service Corps or a private medical contractor, according to Underwood.
“This gap places individuals with chronic medical needs at significant risk,” according to Underwood.
When it came to record keeping, Underwood said she observed all intake information is still collected on paper rather than electronically, which “raises concerns about accuracy, completeness and accountability.”
“It remains unclear whether ICE is logging all arrests connected to Operation Midway Blitz or consistently documenting encounters involving [U.S.] citizens,” according to Underwood.
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