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Emigration and immigration

Federal Judge Issues Temporary Restraining Order for Improved Conditions at New York City ICE Holding Rooms

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to improve conditions at its holding rooms in New York City, following a lawsuit filed by civil rights groups alleging "crowded, squalid, and punitive conditions." The order requires ICE to provide detainees with basic necessities, including sleeping mats, toiletries, and access to free calls with attorneys. The decision is a major victory for immigrant rights advocates, who have been criticizing the Trump administration's handling of ICE facilities.

Key Takeaways:

  • The temporary restraining order requires ICE to provide detainees with sleeping mats, toiletries, and access to free calls with attorneys.
  • The order mandates that ICE's Online Detainee Locator System accurately identify where detainees are located "in real time or as close thereto as is reasonably possible."
  • The lawsuit alleges that ICE's Online Detainee Locator System is inaccurate and does not display a person's location when they are detained at 26 Federal Plaza.
  • Detainees at 26 Federal Plaza will be required to have at least 50 square feet per person, down from the previous capacity of 154 people.
  • ICE must provide detained immigrants with a written notice of their rights, including the right to consult with an attorney and request free toiletries, additional blankets, and bottled water.
  • The lawsuit cites ICE rules requiring immigrants be detained in ICE hold rooms for no longer than 72 hours, but several immigrants have said in court affidavits they've been held for longer periods.
  • Government attorneys confirmed in court that detainees have complained about not being able to access certain medication or receive in-person visits with attorneys.

Statistics:

  • The temporary restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days, while the litigation continues.
  • 26 Federal Plaza is a holding facility that houses immigrants awaiting transfer to other ICE detention centers.
  • The facility's four hold rooms have a total capacity of around 154 people, but under the new order, will be limited to 35 people.
  • 9 immigrants detained at the facility have made sworn affidavits describing the harsh conditions, including freezing temperatures, inadequate food, and limited access to hygiene facilities.
  • The lawsuit also mentions a video taken by a migrant detained at the facility, which shows dozens of men held in a fluorescent-lit room with some lying on the ground, covered in emergency blankets.

Sources:

  • "[Here's What We Know About the Abhorrent Conditions at 26 Federal Plaza](https://gothamist.com/news/migrants-at-lower-manhattan-facility-held-in-crowded-squalid-conditions-suit-claims)"
  • "[ICE Detainees Describe "Humane Conditions" at NYC Holding Facility](https://gothamist.com/news/theyre-killing-us-immigrants-complain-of-inhumane-conditions-inside-nyc-holding-site)"
  • "[DHS Statement on Lawsuit Alleging Abusive Conditions at NYC ICE Facility](https://x.com/ReichlinMelnick/status/1955374648839090641)"
  • "[ICE's Online Detainee Locator System: A Tool for Finding the Truth About Immigration Detention](https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search)"
  • "[The City: "Video Shows Conditions at 26 Federal Plaza Immigration Facility"](https://www.thecity.nyc/2025/07/22/video-26-federal-plaza-immigration-ice-dhs-cells/)"

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