NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2024 — Physicians are raising alarms about what they describe as inhumane conditions at an immigration holding facility in Lower Manhattan. On Monday, doctors from the New York Doctors Coalition attempted to access the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza, where they believe U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operates an overcrowded and unsanitary holding facility for detained immigrants. Department of Homeland Security officials refer to the location as a processing center.
Security personnel denied the physicians entry.
Last month, video footage surfaced, released by the New York Immigration Coalition and verified by local news outlets. The video, though undated, offered a glimpse into the conditions on the 10th floor. The person recording the video was heard saying, “Look how they have us here, like dogs.”
Conditions Prompt Court Action
Just last week, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order. This order prohibits ICE from detaining individuals in spaces smaller than 50 square feet per person. It also mandates improved access to hygiene, the provision of sleeping mats, and better access to medical care.
“This building has been turned into a place of health abuse,” stated Dr. Steve Auerbach of the New York Doctors Coalition. “We’ve had observers that went to the 10th floor.” Auerbach added that the building is not a residential structure and that zoning laws are being violated.
Dr. Sonni Mun, also with the New York Doctors Coalition, expressed concern about a 7-year-old child detained the previous week. “I think the distress these families are going through are similar to people who lose young family members,” Mun said.
Advocacy groups supporting the physicians on Monday called for independent medical professionals to be allowed access. They indicated that families of detained individuals fear retaliation for speaking out publicly.
Department of Homeland Security Disputes Claims
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest reported receiving concerning calls from individuals within the facility. “Some of the people do not have vital medications that they need to maintain their health,” said Karina Albistegui Adler of the organization. “Some of the most alarming things we hear is not having access to HIV medications that they’ve been on for long term.”
Adler recounted a case of a young person, recently discharged from open-heart surgery, detained without necessary medications. “Unfortunately, by the time they reached us, they opted to leave because they were worried they would die in detention because they were feeling so sick,” she said.
The temporary restraining order is set to remain in effect for approximately another week while the court considers longer-term relief. The Department of Homeland Security has stated its intention to appeal the order.
A DHS spokesperson asserted, “This order and this lawsuit are driven by complete fiction about 26 Federal Plaza.” The spokesperson further stated that the administration is conducting a large-scale deportation operation and that claims of substandard conditions are “categorically false.” According to the DHS, 26 Federal Plaza functions as a processing center for brief intake before transfer to ICE detention centers that meet national standards. The department affirmed its commitment to continuing enforcement operations and appealing the judicial order.
