(CALIFORNIA CITY, CALIFORNIA) A federal ACLU lawsuit filed in November 2025 alleges inhumane conditions at the California City Detention Facility, California’s largest immigration detention center, where about 800 people are now held roughly 100 miles north of Los Angeles. The complaint, brought on behalf of seven men detained there, describes sewage bubbling up from shower drains, a lack of basic medical care including regular insulin for diabetics, and people forced to use dirty bandages over open sores. It also states detainees were locked down for much of the day in filthy units that they had to clean without proper supplies after the site reopened in late August.
Rapid reopening and capacity concerns
The lawsuit centers on the California City Detention Facility’s rapid restart following years of inactivity. ICE reopened the complex in late August 2025 with a stated capacity of 2,560 beds, but, according to the filing, basic services lagged far behind the intake of people.
The ACLU alleges that severe understaffing and crumbling infrastructure left housing units without working sinks or toilets. During the initial intake period, some people reportedly slept on cafeteria floors without mattresses or pads.
“ICE is playing with people’s lives, and they treat people like they’re trash, like they’re nothing,” one plaintiff said in the filing.
Medical neglect and mental health failures
Details outlined in the complaint point to medical neglect as a central claim.
- Detainees with diabetes described being denied regular insulin, which the lawsuit says led to serious complications, including large, oozing ulcers.
- Others reported waiting days for any response to sick calls.
- Some who sought help feared punishment; the filing states requests for medical care sometimes drew threats of solitary confinement, reinforcing a climate of fear and silence.
Plaintiffs also alleged that mental health care was either absent or poorly managed. The suit describes men placed in observation cells without access to hygiene, clothing, or consistent psychological support.
Independent monitoring findings
Monitoring by Disability Rights California, a state‑mandated protection and advocacy organization, supports these claims.
- Observers reported flooding from rainstorms that left units waterlogged.
- High dust levels worsened coughing and breathing problems for many detainees.
- Repeated failures to provide soap and other hygiene supplies were noted.
- Reports included harassment and abuse by staff, including physical violence.
- Some detainees believed food was contaminated or inadequate, with people reporting weight loss and hunger.
These findings align with the ACLU’s core argument: that the California City Detention Facility fell short of basic standards from its first weeks back in operation and continues to expose people to unsafe, unsanitary living conditions.
A pattern across detention facilities
The complaint frames the situation as part of a broader pattern in the U.S. immigration detention system, where ICE relies on a mix of private and federal facilities that have faced repeated civil rights concerns.
- Litigation over detention conditions has surged in recent years, often focusing on:
- Medical care delays
- Mental health treatment gaps
- Use of segregation for people who report symptoms or request help
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, these themes recur in recent cases. The ACLU lawsuit argues California City reflects many of those same issues at scale, amplified by a rushed reopening and a shortage of trained staff.
Conditions described by detainees
People who arrived after August describe a jarring start.
- Detainees were reportedly ordered to clean housing units piled with trash and toilets caked with fecal matter, without proper cleaning supplies.
- Some units allegedly had no working toilets or sinks, forcing men to go without basic sanitation.
- Reports of sewage backing up from shower drains added to the sense of crisis.
- There was a lack of regular programs or outdoor time; frequent lockdowns contributed to widespread hopelessness and incidents of self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
Human stories: medical harm and deprivation
Medical stories cited in the lawsuit underscore the human cost.
- One man with diabetes reportedly developed large ulcers after not receiving routine insulin.
- Others described untreated pain, delayed wound care, and interruptions in long‑standing medications.
- Disability Rights California reported detainees placed in observation without basics — no soap, no consistent bathroom access, no clear mental health plans — conditions the group said risked further harm rather than relief.
Allegations of punitive treatment
The ACLU lawsuit also asserts that conditions were “worse than prisons for criminals,” a phrase echoed by multiple plaintiffs who said staff used punishment where care was needed.
- People inside recounted threats, force, and routine dismissal of complaints, including for those with limited English.
- Some limited showers or skipped meals due to fears about contaminated food and unclean bathrooms.
- Daily life, the suit says, became a series of distressing choices: endure sickness, risk retaliation by seeking help, or go without essentials.
Facility size, location, and systemic risks
The facility’s size and location add to its impact. With a bed space of more than 2,500, the California City Detention Facility could quickly become one of the largest immigration detention hubs in the state if ICE fills it.
- Even at about 800 detainees, services reportedly buckled.
- Advocates warn that if population rises while staffing and infrastructure remain weak, pressure points in medical care, sanitation, and mental health could worsen.
- Disability Rights California’s reports of respiratory symptoms linked to dust and flooding suggest the physical environment itself may compound risks during storms or maintenance failures.
Legal standards and requested relief
Civil rights lawyers point to federal detention standards on sanitation, medical care, and mental health services. ICE’s own rules lay out requirements for:
- Safe housing
- Timely clinical attention
- Necessary supplies and grievance processes
Those standards are publicly available from ICE. The ACLU complaint contends these standards are being ignored at California City.
The plaintiffs ask the court for:
- Immediate relief to address medical needs, sanitation failures, and staffing shortfalls.
- Longer-term oversight and accountability to ensure standards are met and enforced.
Broader impact and what’s next
The stakes are personal and immediate for the seven men named in the case, but the reach is broader. Attorneys say their stories mirror what dozens of others inside report daily: skipped medications, makeshift bandages over open wounds, repeated lockdowns, and a sense that help will not come even in crisis.
“ICE is playing with people’s lives,” one plaintiff said in the filing, arguing that the system treats people as disposable.
As the case moves forward, it will test whether a rapidly reopened facility can meet federal standards and whether court oversight is needed to force immediate fixes. Legal observers note detention litigation often prompts short‑term improvements — such as increased staffing or emergency cleanups — but lasting change usually depends on stronger monitoring and enforcement.
For now, the plaintiffs seek both urgent medical attention and broader remedies that would make sewage backups, empty soap dispensers, and delayed insulin refills unacceptable exceptions rather than daily worries.
This Article in a Nutshell
A federal ACLU lawsuit filed in November 2025 accuses the California City Detention Facility — reopened by ICE in late August with 2,560 beds — of inhumane conditions affecting about 800 detainees. The complaint cites sewage backups, denied insulin leading to severe ulcers, inadequate medical and mental‑health care, prolonged lockdowns, and filthy housing the detainees were forced to clean. Disability Rights California monitoring found flooding, high dust, lack of soap, and staff harassment. Plaintiffs seek immediate medical and sanitation relief and long‑term oversight to enforce federal detention standards.
