- Detainees report extreme overcrowding and floor sleeping at the Adams County Correctional Center in Mississippi.
- Cells designed for two people now house three individuals, forcing some to sleep near toilets.
- Mississippi recorded the highest per-capita arrest rate as national ICE bookings reached record levels in 2026.
Detainees at the Adams County Correctional Center in Natchez, Mississippi, describe three-person cells, floor sleeping and worsening sanitation as arrests and the facility’s population climb. The ICE detainees say some units now hold more people than their beds can accommodate.
The center held about 1,878 people in early July, against a capacity of 2,232 beds. Detainees said at least a few hundred people had arrived in recent weeks.
Free toolUSCIS Receipt Number Decoder
Melvin Funez, who helps deliver commissary items, said he saw “at least seven extra mattresses in each unit” during his rounds. In his own unit, he said, “18 people were sleeping on makeshift cots and mattresses on the floor last week.”
The crowding has pushed some people into plastic platforms known as “boats.” Andrei Zykov, a Russian detainee, said 15 people were “in boats” in his unit on Wednesday.
“Complete discomfort, little space,” Zykov wrote in a complaint on a facility-issued tablet. He said the conditions left detainees with little air, unsanitary surroundings, possible conflicts and restless sleep.
Three people now share cells built for two
The cells measure roughly 8 by 10 feet and originally housed two people. Detainees said a third person is now frequently assigned to those rooms, sometimes sleeping beside the toilet.
A joint letter signed by nearly 70 detainees and sent to Warden Rafael Vergara in July described the arrangement this way:
“Because of the limited space, the third detainee must sleep with his head very close to the toilet, exposing him to unsanitary conditions, unpleasant odors, and an increased risk to his health and dignity.”
Zykov also reported frequent air-conditioning failures and toilets that did not flush properly in crowded cells. He called the arrangement “a violation of human rights” and asked officials to show understanding.
Facility staff ruled Zykov’s complaint “unfounded.” Their written response said:
“The matter is temporary in nature and respectfully request your patience during this period.”
The facility is operated by CoreCivic. Ryan Gustin, the company’s senior director of public affairs, said July 31: “Every detainee was provided with a bed.”
Bookings reached a national high as Mississippi arrests surged
The conditions emerged during a sharp national increase in immigration detention. The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse said 65,765 people were in ICE detention as of July 11, 2026.
June brought 43,138 bookings, the highest monthly level in the data cited. The Natchez center has long ranked among the country’s largest immigration detention facilities.
Mississippi also recorded the nation’s highest per-capita ICE arrest rate in late 2025 and 2026, at 21 arrests per 1,000 residents, according to figures attributed to a UCLA study and TRAC.
Angelina Vicknair, an ICE spokesperson, previously described population shifts as routine. She said, “Daily operations continue as normal and. population changes are routine.”
The figures have given the facility’s population changes a wider context. The center’s listed capacity remains 2,232 beds, while detainees describe conditions associated with recent arrivals and limited space.
Detainees have turned to complaints and federal court
Zykov filed formal civil rights complaints about the conditions. Nearly 70 detainees also signed the July petition to Vergara, seeking relief from the sleeping and sanitation problems.
A separate federal case, Ali v. Warden of Adams County Correctional Facility, filed in 2026, alleges continuing neglect and civil rights violations. The allegations remain claims in litigation.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, a senior Mississippi congressman, has monitored the facility’s fluctuating population. His involvement adds congressional attention to a center that has repeatedly absorbed changes in the federal detention system.
The written complaints focus on daily conditions rather than detention policy. Detainees describe where people sleep, how close beds sit to toilets and whether basic equipment works.
A proposed Mississippi facility will not relieve the pressure
Federal plans announced in early 2026 to convert a warehouse in Byhalia, Mississippi, into an 8,500-bed detention center were scrapped after opposition from Sen. Roger Wicker, R-MS.
The abandoned project would have added capacity elsewhere in the state. Adams County remains one of the largest facilities available for immigration detention in Mississippi.
The pressure also coincides with deadly years in ICE custody. In 2025, 32–33 people died in detention, described in the material as the deadliest year on record. The July 31 account said 2026 was on track to match or exceed that number.
At Adams County, the immediate dispute is narrower and more concrete. Detainees say crowded cells, makeshift sleeping arrangements and malfunctioning toilets have made confinement harder as new people arrive.
The facility response describes the situation as temporary, while the company says every detainee received a bed. Complaints and the federal lawsuit leave those competing accounts before officials and the courts as the population continues to shift.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
