The Adelanto ICE Processing Center in San Bernardino County, California, has been ordered to implement significant changes following a federal court ruling. The decision comes amidst growing scrutiny over conditions in immigration detention centers during the Trump administration. Judge Sunshine Suzanne Sykes ruled that the facility must provide detainees with clean water, proper medical care, and other essential amenities.
The ruling follows the deaths of two detainees, Ismael Ayala-Uribe and Gabriel García-Avilés, within weeks of each other last autumn. Both deaths are still under federal investigation, adding to the pressure on the facility to improve its conditions.
Key Changes Ordered by the Court
The court’s order requires the facility to provide 24-hour access to clean drinking water, nutritious meals, and hygiene products. The facility must also ensure daily cleaning and the removal of mold. Detainees will receive appropriate bedding and clothing for the temperature, as well as access to outdoor recreation for at least four hours daily.
Family visits will no longer be restricted during regular working hours, and physical contact, such as hugs, will be allowed. The facility is also required to conduct at least two daily headcounts to ensure the well-being of detainees. Isolation will only be permitted if there is a risk to staff or if requested by the detainee.
Accessibility and Medical Care
The court has mandated that the facility provide reasonable accommodations for detainees with disabilities. This includes ensuring that those with mobility issues are not assigned to upper bunks and that necessary medical treatment is provided. The facility must also conduct regular health assessments and provide continuous medical care.
Detainees will have access to primary, secondary, and tertiary medical care, and they must be informed of their patient rights. The court has appointed two independent supervisors to ensure compliance with the orders and has given the government 14 days to develop a plan addressing the medical and disability needs of detainees.
Government Response and Future Steps
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declined to comment on the ruling. However, the DHS lawyer, Pushkal Mishra, argued that the federal government should not be held responsible for the actions of its contractor, GEO Group, which manages Adelanto and other immigration centers nationwide. The DHS maintains that it should not have to oversee the daily management of a federal contract handled by a private contractor.
GEO Group has not responded to requests for comment. Meanwhile, the Mexican government has urged state attorneys general to investigate the deaths of Mexican citizens in ICE custody. A report by the California Attorney General revealed that six people have died in state detention centers since the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign began. Nationally, 22 people have died in immigration detention centers this year.