A Guardian investigation has revealed that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is increasingly detaining people in small, secretive holding facilities for days or even weeks, in violation of its own policies. These facilities, often located in federal buildings and ICE offices, consist of small concrete rooms without beds, designed for only a few hours of use.
ICE's internal policy previously limited detention in these holding rooms to 12 hours, but a June memo waived this rule, extending the limit to three days. However, the Guardian's analysis of data from September 2023 to July 2024 found that ICE continues to hold people for multiple days, with some facilities seeing a near 600% increase in detention time after the rule change.
In one case, a 62-year-old man was held for two and a half months at a New York City facility on the 10th floor of a federal building in downtown Manhattan. The Guardian also identified 63 other individuals held there for more than a week between President Trump's inauguration and late July.
Advocates and former ICE officials have raised concerns about the extended use of these facilities, citing risks of abuse, medical neglect, and violations of due process. Unlike larger detention centres, these holding rooms face minimal oversight and are not subject to regular audits or inspections.
ICE responded to the Guardian's request for comment by asking for an extension, but did not provide a statement in time for publication. Homeland Security officials have previously argued that holding rooms are not detention centres, thus exempt from the same scrutiny, despite evidence to the contrary.
