Improvement in living conditions required for detainees at the New York City ICE custody center, as directed by the judge
In a significant ruling for immigrants' rights, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan has ordered the Trump administration to enhance conditions for migrants detained at a federal building detention facility in New York City. The facility, located at 26 Federal Plaza in lower Manhattan, is under scrutiny due to overcrowded conditions and allegations of inadequate access to attorneys, medication, hygiene products, and adequate food.
The ruling, considered an 'important win' for immigrants' rights, does not specify any particular changes or improvements required. However, it mandates U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to ensure cleanliness, limit capacity, and improve access to legal phone calls at the facility.
The order comes after a lawsuit was filed on behalf of detainees who claimed they were being denied essential services. A video obtained in July showed over a dozen people in a room at the holding facility, with several lying on the floor and two toilets separated by only a waist-high wall, further highlighting the overcrowded conditions.
The New York Immigration Coalition, one of the advocacy groups representing the detainees, stated that the video confirms the facility is being used as a detention center rather than a short-term holding center. ICE's expanded enforcement efforts have resulted in a surge of detainees, overwhelming existing facilities and straining operational resources.
Eunice Cho, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, has stated that they will continue to fight to hold ICE accountable. The Trump administration, in its ongoing immigration crackdown, is facing mounting pressure to address the conditions at detention facilities across the country. The ruling by Judge Kaplan is a step towards ensuring basic human rights for migrants detained in these facilities.
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