Alarming Overcrowding and Conditions Plague U.S. Immigrant Detention Centers

Behind closed doors, the impact of the recent immigration crackdown is becoming evident as detention facilities nationwide struggle with extreme overcrowding.

Many detainees endure extended periods without access to showers, while others are forced to sleep crammed together on bare floors. Essential medications for chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension are frequently unavailable. In cities like New York and Los Angeles, individuals have been confined for several days in small rooms intended only for short-term processing, with their lawyers and families often left uninformed about their locations.

The immigration detention system is under immense pressure, holding more than 56,000 individuals as of mid-June—far surpassing the authorized capacity of 41,000. This surge coincides with a ramp-up in enforcement, including workplace raids and arrests at immigration courts.

An advocacy director representing detainees described the current conditions as the worst witnessed in two decades, emphasizing that although conditions have historically been problematic, the present situation is particularly dire.

Since the start of the year, at least ten immigrants have died in custody, including two at a Miami detention center where detainees recently staged a human "S.O.S." demonstration. Among these fatalities, two were suicides occurring in facilities in Arizona and Georgia. For context, the average annual deaths in custody during the previous administration were about seven.

Detentions have sharply increased since late May, following a directive from a senior White House official to target 3,000 arrests daily.