Rep. Torres Visits Adelanto ICE Facility Following Reports of Hunger Strike and Unsafe Conditions

Rep. Torres Visits Adelanto ICE Facility Following Reports of Hunger Strike and Unsafe Conditions

Washington D.C. - Today, Representative Norma Torres (CA-35), a longtime advocate for fair and humane conditions at ICE facilities, and for congressional oversight of immigration detention facilities, visited the Adelanto ICE Processing Center following reports that detainees have engaged in a hunger strike to protest inhumane conditions, inadequate medical care, and food insecurity.

The visit comes as immigrant rights advocates and family members raise alarm over conditions inside the facility. While the Department of Homeland Security disputes reports of a hunger strike, detainees and their loved ones continue to describe serious concerns regarding medical treatment, access to care, and living conditions.

"Whether DHS wants to acknowledge it or not, the concerns being raised by detainees and their families deserve answers," said Congresswoman Torres. "My office received a call last week from a detained individual who said he was on a hunger strike. When people are willing to risk their health to draw attention to conditions inside a detention facility, Congress has a responsibility to listen, investigate, and ensure basic human rights are being respected. During my visit, ICE made us aware that roughly 27 detainees had skipped at least one meal in recent days but none met the hunger strike criteria. To meet the "official" hunger strike criteria a detainee must self identify that they are on a hunger strike, and miss nine consecutive meals within a 72 hour period. Our constituents, who are often constituents detained at Adelanto or family members of those at Adelanto, deserve to know that the law is being followed and people are being treated with dignity."

During her visit, Torres met with facility officials, toured the facility, and sought information regarding detainee welfare, access to medical care, meal distribution, and protocols for responding to hunger strikes and other health emergencies.

"No one in federal custody should be denied adequate medical care, nutritious food, or humane treatment," Torres continued. "These are not political issues, they are basic standards of human dignity and the rules that ICE and its contractors have agreed to follow. Every person held in government custody deserves to be treated with respect and have their health and safety protected as their immigration cases move forward. I'll continue my oversight visits to make sure ICE complies with the law."

Torres has repeatedly conducted oversight visits to immigration detention facilities and has been a leading voice in Congress demanding transparency and accountability from ICE and DHS. She is also part of the successful lawsuit to prevent the Trump Administration from denying access to these facilities.

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