Recent reports have highlighted detention practices at 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan, where multiple floors of the building are used to hold immigrants arrested by ICE. According to AMNY, during a court hearing yesterday, federal attorneys acknowledged that immigrants are being held not only on the 10th floor, as previously understood, but also on the 9th floor. This information surfaced amid allegations of poor conditions, following the release of a video last summer showing the 10th-floor detention area.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Oestericher acknowledged the situation during a legal proceeding related to an ongoing lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, which alleges violations of detainees’ constitutional rights due to overcrowding and unsanitary conditions. Although detentions appear to be slowing, the issue has drawn the attention of lawmakers. Congressman Dan Goldman told AMNY that “ICE is not only lying to the Court, but they are lying to me,” after discovering that detainees were being held on floors other than the 10th during an inspection, despite prior assurances that detentions were confined to the 10th floor.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan has criticized ICE for “stalling” in the case concerning conditions at the Manhattan detention center, expressing frustration with the agency’s pace in responding to discovery requests and its perceived disregard for a court order requiring improvements at the facility, as reported by Courthouse News. During the proceedings, Kaplan also questioned the adequacy of toilet facilities in the holding areas, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Oestericher acknowledging uncertainty on the matter.
Claims from immigrants detained at 26 Federal Plaza indicate prolonged holds, limited access to clean clothing, and restricted opportunities to contact their attorneys, contrary to court directives. Some detainees report insufficient food and hygiene supplies, suggesting potential violations of the judge’s ruling. One released detainee stated in a court filing, as documented by Courthouse News, “We were always hungry,” describing the conditions they experienced. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan has expressed reluctance to delay the trial and suggested he may clarify his preliminary injunction to cover all floors of 26 Federal Plaza, emphasizing to the parties involved, “This is going to move. It is not just going to sit here for a year.”
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