California ICE Detention Centers Face Severe Overcrowding and Inhumane Conditions, State Report Finds

A recent report from the California Department of Justice has confirmed that conditions at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities across the state have deteriorated significantly under the Trump administration. The report, published on May 15 by Attorney General Rob Bonta, found that overcrowding in seven ICE facilities operating last year led to inadequate medical care, poor food and hygiene, and excessive use of force by guards, violating ICE's own detention standards.

Bonta described the conditions as "cruel, inhumane and unacceptable." The Trump administration's mass deportation campaign has dramatically increased detainee populations, with facilities unprepared to meet the demand. ICE did not respond to a request for comment.

At the Adelanto ICE Processing Center and the nearby Desert View Annex, both run by GEO Group, inspectors found evidence of severe understaffing and overwhelmed conditions. Medical care was particularly lacking: only 18% of detainees interviewed said they had seen a doctor for their medical issues.

Four people have died at Adelanto during the second Trump administration. In January, a class action lawsuit was filed alleging medical neglect and poor conditions.

At least 20 detainees at Desert View Annex recently went on a hunger strike to protest conditions, including mold, inadequate water infrastructure, and lack of nutritious food. The strikers called for repairs, accountability for deaths, and the right to organize without retaliation.

At the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, run by CoreCivic, inspectors found that the facility held 1,433 detainees in October, exceeding its contractual maximum of 1,142. Overflow detainees slept on small mats on the floor, and the facility lacked the required number of toilets.

CoreCivic spokesperson Ryan Gustin disputed the findings, citing independent audits and federal oversight. However, detainees have reported inadequate medical care, including a Russian man named Andrei Menshikov who said he went blind while in custody and received no assistance for his disability.

CoreCivic declined to comment on individual medical records.

The California City Detention Facility, the newest of the seven inspected, opened prematurely in August and lacked sufficient staff, including medical personnel. Inspectors found extensive violations, including cold temperatures, leaks, lack of protective clothing, and excessive lockdown periods.

Detainee Allen, who has been held there since February, described guards searching cells and leaving men outside without water for hours, causing three to pass out from heat. Gustin called this account "patently false." The report also noted that people requiring higher levels of medical care remained at the facility for months, with faulty record-keeping that could have dangerous consequences.

The state's findings underscore ongoing concerns about private prison companies operating ICE facilities. GEO Group runs five of the eight facilities in California, and the Trump administration recently appointed David Venturella, a former GEO Group executive, as acting director of ICE.

The report highlights the urgent need for reform to ensure basic human dignity for those in immigration custody.