Judge optimistic about improvements at Chicago-area ICE facility with alleged ‘inhumane’ conditions

Federal Judge Reports Progress in Improving Immigration Facility Conditions

A federal judge expressed optimism Friday regarding the government’s efforts to address “inhumane” conditions at a Chicago-area federal immigration facility that has been under intense scrutiny for months.

U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman, who earlier this week ordered immediate changes at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, said he was pleased with the government’s initial response to his directive. “I am pleased with the government’s report, and hopefully we’re moving in the right direction,” Gettleman remarked during Friday’s status hearing.

The judge’s order came Wednesday following emotional testimony from detainees describing deplorable conditions including overflowing toilets, crowded cells without beds, and water that “tasted like sewer.” Gettleman characterized these conditions as “unnecessarily cruel” and mandated immediate improvements.

According to a status report submitted by federal government attorneys, facility staff have begun cleaning each holding room twice daily and have ordered bedding and mattresses. The report states that soap, towels, toilet paper, and drinking water are now available to detainees, though toothbrushes and toothpaste will only be provided upon request, with officials claiming toothbrushes “can be used as weapons.” The government is also working to secure a new food vendor contract.

The Broadview facility has become a flashpoint in the national immigration debate, drawing attention from members of Congress and sparking weeks of demonstrations outside its gates. Attorneys and relatives of detainees have described it as a de facto detention center operating with minimal oversight.

Attorneys representing the plaintiffs expressed skepticism about the government’s claims of improvement. Alexa Van Brunt, director of the MacArthur Justice Center’s Illinois office, told the court they remain “doubtful” that all the mandated changes have been implemented and requested permission to inspect the facility.

Van Brunt also highlighted ongoing communication barriers, noting that attorneys still lack a working phone number or email to reach clients held at the facility. “This has been such a repeated issue, and one that has had significant consequences,” she told Gettleman, who instructed the government to address the problem immediately, stating, “That’s not compliant with the First and Fifth Amendment that’s for sure.”

The current court order will remain in effect for 14 days, with another progress meeting scheduled for November 12. Magistrate Judge Laura K. McNally suggested extending the order to relieve some of the “pressure cooker” and began plans to schedule an inspection of the facility next week.

In a separate but related development, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis ordered the immediate release of the lead plaintiffs in the case, Pablo Moreno Gonzalez and Felipe Agustin Zamacona, from ICE custody. Van Brunt celebrated the decision in a statement to the Associated Press: “After bravely sharing their harrowing accounts of what it is like to be detained in Broadview, we are incredibly relieved that they no longer have to be held in inhumane conditions and can be safely returned to their families.”

Ellis is the same judge who on Thursday issued an extensive injunction restricting federal agents’ use of force after determining that a top Border Patrol official had repeatedly misrepresented threats allegedly posed by protesters and reporters at demonstrations outside the facility.

The case represents a rare public examination of conditions inside ICE facilities. As part of the legal proceedings, plaintiff attorneys have indicated they may request surveillance footage from inside the Broadview facility along with inspection logs and other documentation that could provide unprecedented transparency into its operations.

Federal government attorneys have complained about the expedited timeline for document production, with attorney Jana Brady telling the court, “It’s impossible to get them everything they’ve asked for,” and claiming staff are “working around the clock” to comply with the court’s orders.