This August 12, 2025, a federal judge in New York issued an emergency order for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to implement immediate changes at the detention center located at 26 Federal Plaza Building in Manhattan.
This decision responds to a class action lawsuit filed by civil rights organizations and community groups that denounced inhumane conditions for the people held there. Although the order is temporary (14 days), the court will evaluate making it a permanent measure.
Minimum conditions to be met by ICE
The court order establishes clear measures that ICE must implement immediately:
Minimum space per detainee: at least 50 square feet per person, to avoid overcrowding.
Decent sleeping conditions: mattresses with clean sheets for all detainees.
Guaranteed basic hygiene: soap, toilet paper and sanitary products for women.
Frequent cleaning: Detention areas should be cleaned at least three times a day.
Access to legal defense: right to private calls with lawyers and interpreters if they do not speak English, within 24 hours.
Testimonials that drove the decision
The reports describe that, in some cases, 40 to 90 people were sharing one or two bathrooms, open for all to see.
This forced some detainees to cover themselves with thermal blankets to sleep and have some privacy.
Lack of access to showers, clean clothes and medical attention was also reported.
This decision responds to a class-action lawsuit
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A group of religious leaders and congressmen attempted to visit the facility to verify conditions, but were denied entry.
This reinforced public pressure for the case to go to court.
Reactions and what’s next
Human rights organizations hailed the order as an important step in curbing detention practices they describe as “abusive and unconstitutional”.
However, they warned that the ultimate goal should be the definitive closure of this center.
As well as the creation of more humane alternatives for the processing of immigrants.
ICE, for its part, assures that the facility is not a permanent detention center.
It is a temporary processing facility and is already reviewing internal protocols to comply with the court order.
The judge made it clear that, although the measure is provisional, it sends a strong message:
Persons in detention, regardless of their immigration status, have the right to safe and dignified conditions.
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