No Showers, Concrete Floors: Squalid NYC Immigrant Detention Conditions

(NEW YORK CITY) A July video shows people held for days in ICE detention with No Showers, no clean clothes, and concrete floors. Protests outside 26 Federal Plaza follow, as officials press for change.

Advocates and some elected leaders in New York say the conditions are unsafe and dehumanizing. They want detention reduced, and in some cases ended, after reports of neglect and deaths linked to local facilities.

What recent reports show

In July 2025, a video from inside a New York–area facility showed people kept for days without showers or fresh clothing. Detainees described sleeping on bare floors. The footage contradicts ICE’s public claim that it follows strict rules in every facility.

Those rules include the 2025 National Detention Standards, which require safe housing, regular hygiene access, and basic medical care. Yet accounts from detained people and their families say the rules are not always met. That gap is at the heart of today’s outcry.

For ICE’s own standards and contact details, see the agency’s official page: https://www.ice.gov.

Pressure at 26 Federal Plaza

Public pressure is building at 26 Federal Plaza, the Manhattan site that houses ICE offices and immigration courts. Demonstrations there in recent weeks focus on alleged abuse, No Showers, and limits on legal help.

• Families bring signs.
• Lawyers speak out.
• New Yorkers who have never been inside a detention block listen with shock.

Organizers say the protests will continue. They argue public attention can push agencies and contractors to fix basic problems fast, including hygiene, bedding, and medical screening.

Elected officials and calls to end ICE detention

In July, some elected officials joined advocates to call for an end to ICE detention in New York. They pointed to long-running issues at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and other area sites tied to immigration holds. Past reports have linked those sites to deaths and poor care.

Supporters of ending detention say community programs are safer and cheaper. Opponents argue secure custody is needed in some cases. For now, New York continues to hold people under ICE contracts, even as debate grows louder.

Money, contracts, and incentives

New York counties receive per diem payments for each person held under ICE custody. Advocates worry this payment model can reward keeping beds full rather than ensuring care and rights the standards promise.

Counties and contractors say the payments cover real costs, including:

• Security
• Food
• Staff

But the central question remains: who checks that living conditions meet the 2025 rules every day, not just on paper?

Policy shifts hitting children

A major change came in March 2025, when the federal government ended contracts that paid for legal services for unaccompanied children facing removal. In New York alone, an estimated 1,800 children lost funded help in immigration court. Without a lawyer, a child’s chance to remain often drops sharply.

At the same time, ICE increased arrests at and around immigration courts. Families report more people taken into custody during check-ins, with some pushed into faster removal paths that have little or no judge review. Advocates call this a recipe for mistakes and wrongful deportations.

Health, safety, and human dignity

Reports from detainees and their relatives describe serious health risks inside:

• People say they cannot see a doctor when sick or cannot get medicine on time.
• Some cannot clean themselves after days in the same clothes.
• Sleep on concrete or thin mats adds pain and stress.

For people with diabetes, asthma, or mental health needs, the stakes are even higher. Human rights groups say these conditions violate basic standards of care and argue that if the government takes your liberty, it must meet basic needs every day you are inside.

“If the government takes your liberty, the government must meet basic needs every day you are inside.”

How this affects families and communities

Every arrest and every long detention sends shockwaves through homes, schools, and jobs.

• Parents miss paychecks.
• Children do not know when they will see a parent again.
• Landlords and employers get no answers.

Communities step in with food, rides, and translation, but they cannot replace a parent at night. Lawyers note that rushed removals can split families for years; bringing someone back later is rarely fast. This is why early legal help matters.

What you can do now

If someone you know is in ICE detention in New York:

1. Write down names, A-numbers, and dates. Keep copies of every document.
2. Ask for medical care in writing. Note the date, the staff member, and the response.
3. Request an interpreter if English is hard. Keep track of when requests are denied.
4. Stay calm at check-ins. Bring a lawyer if you can. If not, bring a trusted adult witness.
5. Call local legal aid groups that handle deportation defense. Ask about free or low-cost help.
6. If hygiene is denied, note “No Showers” on a timeline. Details help later complaints.

Authoritative immigration outlets, including VisaVerge.com, continue to cover detention conditions and policy shifts. Their reporting, along with local legal groups, can help you track changes that affect your case.

Oversight and accountability

ICE states that its standards protect safety and dignity. Yet reports from New York show audits and daily practice do not always match.

Key issues:

• Responsibility is often unclear: the agency, the private contractor, or the county jail?
• The current mix can blur lines, making fixes slower than people need.

Advocates push for:

• Clear, public audits with dates, names, and immediate corrective steps.
• Routine, unannounced visits by independent doctors and lawyers.

Without that, they say, promises on paper will not reach the people inside.

Looking ahead

Reform efforts continue through lawsuits and campaigns that seek:

• Safer housing
• Steady access to lawyers
• Restored support for children who must face court alone
• A reduced number of people in custody, with more resources for community case management

More arrests at courts and more fast-track removals are likely to keep pressure high. Families will watch court dates while protest lines at 26 Federal Plaza spotlight what happens after the doors close.

The next months will test whether New York facilities meet the 2025 rules—and whether the public will accept anything less. Lives hang in balance.