Internal government records, emails, and detainee testimonies reveal that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) held immigrants for prolonged periods in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions at a temporary detention facility in Manhattan during 2025. The facility, located on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza, was designed for short-term holding of detainees but was used to confine dozens of people for days amid a surge in immigration arrests.

According to documents released as part of a federal lawsuit, in early June 2025, the number of detainees in one hold room increased dramatically—from around eight to more than 80 within days. The small room, approximately 30 feet square with concrete benches and metal toilets, quickly became overcrowded, with each person confined to roughly 10 square feet—a fraction of the space recommended by correctional standards. At its peak, the room held approximately 86 detainees, who endured conditions described as smelling of sweat, urine, and feces, and lacking basic amenities such as beds, showers, or full-time medical staff.

Federal policy restricts ICE from holding individuals in temporary holding areas for longer than 12 hours, except in “exceptional circumstances.” In response to the crisis at 26 Federal Plaza, ICE extended this limit to three days in late June 2025, but many detainees remained confined for even longer periods. Some spent over a week in these cramped quarters, with reports of people sleeping on floors or benches and overcrowding exacerbating health and hygiene challenges.

Medical care was a significant concern. The facility had no around-the-clock medical staff despite detaining people with serious health conditions, including tuberculosis, ovarian cysts, and kidney failure. Internal communications exposed ICE officials struggling to manage medical emergencies with limited resources, at times triaging detainees based on urgency. Detainees reported that non-emergency medical needs often went unmet. One detainee recounted developing a fever without receiving care, while another described witnessing individuals with flu-like symptoms receiving little attention.

The overcrowding developed amid a broader enforcement push during the second term of President Donald Trump, whose administration sought to conduct large-scale deportation operations. ICE officials acknowledged in emails that arrests outpaced available space in long-term detention facilities, leading to reliance on temporary holding rooms not intended for extended stays. A federal judge eventually imposed limits on occupancy at 26 Federal Plaza, capping the total number of detainees allowed across its hold rooms to 22, citing risks of irreparable harm.

Despite this intervention, similar patterns persisted nationally, with ICE data showing overcrowding and extended detention in temporary holding rooms in cities including Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Mesa (Arizona), and Dallas. In some cases, large numbers of detainees were confined in spaces ill-equipped for overnight stays. In Dallas, one detainee with prior service alongside U.S. troops died after complaining of chest pain that officials reportedly ignored.

ICE has stated that most detainees are held in temporary facilities only briefly and are provided with meals and blankets. However, critics, including former ICE detention officials, have argued that the agency has repeatedly pushed the limits of what is safe or humane in an effort to meet enforcement quotas. Advocates and experts warn that prolonged confinement in overcrowded, restrictive environments can cause lasting physical and psychological harm, particularly among vulnerable populations with mental health issues.

The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the detailed questions regarding the conditions at these facilities, citing ongoing litigation. Meanwhile, the lawsuit challenging the detainees’ treatment at 26 Federal Plaza remains pending, with a federal judge having expressed serious concerns about the appropriateness of ICE holding detainees in such conditions.