Illinois advocates sued federal authorities Friday over alleged "inhumane" conditions at a Chicago-area immigration facility. Attorneys with the ACLU of Illinois and the MacArthur Justice Center say Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have denied people being held at the Broadview facility private calls with attorneys and have blocked members of Congress, faith leaders, and journalists from entering the building, creating a "black box" they say has allowed authorities to act "with impunity," per the AP. Agents have also allegedly coerced people held at the processing center to sign paperwork they don't understand, leading them to unknowingly relinquish their rights and face deportation, according to the complaint.
Alexa Van Brunt, director of the MacArthur Justice Center's Illinois office and lead attorney for the lawsuit, said community members are "being kidnapped off the streets; packed in hold cells; denied food, medical care, and basic necessities; and forced to sign away their legal rights." "Everyone, no matter their legal status, has the right to access counsel and to not be subject to horrific and inhumane conditions," she said. Attorneys accuse ICE, DHS, and US Customs and Border Protection of violating detainees' Fifth Amendment right to due process and First Amendment right to legal counsel, and they've asked the court to force the agencies to improve the facility's conditions.
The 76-page class-action lawsuit paints a bleak picture of the facility, which attorneys say is "extremely cramped" and "smells strongly of feces, urine, and body odor." Insects were found in the sinks, and clogged toilets led to urine on the floor. One man described people lying on top of each other and in the bathroom, unable to find space to sleep. "They treated us like animals, or worse than animals, because no one treats their pets like that," one woman said in the lawsuit. Several plaintiffs said they were detained at the processing center for durations ranging from a couple of days to three weeks.
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Advocates have for months raised concerns about conditions at the facility, which has drawn scrutiny from members of Congress, political candidates, and activist groups. Lawyers and relatives of people held there have called it a de facto detention center, saying up to 200 people have been held at a time without access to legal counsel. DHS has previously dismissed the claims, saying those held at the facility have proper meals, medical treatment, and access to communication with family members and lawyers. Representatives for ICE and the Department of Homeland Security didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment Friday.
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