'It's happening everywhere': 1 in 3 ICE detainees held in overcrowded facilities, data show

"Mattresses on the floor, next to bunk beds, in meeting rooms and gymnasiums. No access to a bathroom or drinking water. Hourlong lines to buy food at the commissary or to make a phone call. These are some of the conditions described by lawyers and the people held at immigrant detention facilities around the country over the last few months. The number of detained immigrants surpassed a record 60,000 this month."

"In the first half of the year, at least 19 out of 49 dedicated detention facilities exceeded their rated bed capacity and many more holding facilities and local jails exceeded their agreed-upon immigrant detainee capacity. During the height of arrest activity in June, facilities that were used to operating with plenty of available beds suddenly found themselves responsible for the meals, medical attention, safety and sleeping space for four times as many detainees as they had the previous year."

""There are so many things we've seen before - poor food quality, abuse by guards, not having clean clothes or underwear, not getting hygiene products," said Silky Shah, executive director of Detention Watch Network, a coalition that aims to abolish immigrant detention. "But the scale at which it's happening feels greater, because it's happening everywhere and people are sleeping on floors.""

Immigrant detention facilities nationwide are operating over capacity with detainees sleeping on floors and being housed in makeshift spaces like meeting rooms and gymnasiums. Many detainees lack access to bathrooms, drinking water, hygiene products, clean clothing and timely medical attention. Public data analysis shows more than a third of ICE detainees experienced overcapacity dedicated detention centers this year, and at least 19 of 49 dedicated facilities exceeded rated bed capacity in the first half of the year. Rapid arrest increases left some facilities caring for up to four times as many detainees as the prior year. Advocates report severe dignity and safety concerns.

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