A U.S. Senate investigation has uncovered dozens of credible reports of medical neglect and poor conditions in immigration detention centers nationwide — with detainees denied insulin, left without medical attention for days and forced to compete for clean water — raising scrutiny about how the government oversees its vast detention system.
The report released by Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia, is the second in a series of inquiries examining alleged human rights abuses in the immigration detention system. It builds on an August review that detailed mistreatment of children and pregnant women and draws from more than 500 reports of abuse and neglect collected between January and August.
The latest findings document more than 80 credible cases of medical neglect and widespread complaints of inadequate food and water. Senate investigators say that points to systemic failures in federal detention oversight.
Accounts gathered from detainees, attorneys, advocates, and even a Department of Homeland Security employee describe alarming delays in medical care. One incident involved a detainee suffering a heart attack after days of chest pain without treatment, illustrating the dire consequences of inadequate healthcare in these facilities.
A Homeland Security staff member assigned to one detention site told investigators that “ambulances have to come almost every day,” underscoring the crisis within the system.
Continued Disparities in Food and Water Quality
The Senate investigation identified persistent complaints about food and water quality, including reports of expired milk and inadequate meal sizes. At one Texas facility, adults reported having to compete with children for inadequate water supplies.
Senator Ossoff emphasized the need for humane treatment in immigration facilities, stating, “Every human being is entitled to dignity and humane treatment.” He vowed to continue exposing these abuses and pushing for reforms.
Through various interviews and court filings, investigators noted that detainees received insufficient nutritional meals that often lacked variety, with some describing the meals as dismally inadequate.
Attorneys representing detainees also reported firsthand experiences of medical neglect and poor conditions, highlighting critical failures in the immigration detention system.
The Homeland Security Department did not respond to requests for comments on the report. However, previous statements from the department have criticized Ossoff's inquiries as misleading, reflecting a deep divide over the treatment of detainees.
