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Seven migrants detained at the California City Detention Facility, located in Kern County, have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for "inhumane" conditions, medical negligence, and a life-threatening environment for those in custody.
The information was confirmed by FOX 66, which interviewed one of the plaintiffs and reviewed the legal document filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
In the statements reported by the American media, the detainee Sokhean Keo, who has been in the center for about three months, described a dirty, extremely cold, and emotionally devastating environment.
“This is a disaster. And it’s very cold, extremely cold. It’s as if the entire ground is covered in dirt. Our mental health is very, very poor,” he said.
Keo claims to have witnessed suicide attempts due to the mental deterioration experienced by detainees.
Months without medical attention: undiagnosed cancer, untreated diabetes, and dangerous delays
The legal document describes an alarming situation. On page 14, the complaint states:
“The ICE has deliberately subjected detainees to prolonged delays in obtaining critical medical evaluations, including individuals suspected of having cancer, whose lab results indicate increasingly severe abnormalities.”
Another section, on page 22, reports that individuals with chronic conditions are not receiving their essential medications
"Detained individuals with diabetes, hypertension, and heart conditions are systematically denied their prescribed medication for days or even weeks."
The attorney Kyle Virgien from the ACLU National Prison Project told FOX 66 that they have documented cases of individuals who may have cancer and have been waiting for months on the specialist list, as well as detainees lacking appropriate treatment for diabetes and heart problems.
DHS denies it, but the fear of retaliation is real
The Department of Homeland Security denied the accusations and even claimed that some detainees "receive the best medical care of their lives" within the facility.
However, the legal document insists that many are afraid to report abuses. On page 31, it reads:
“Retaliation against those who file complaints is widespread and creates a climate of fear.”
The complaints against the immigration detention system are not new, and this lawsuit adds to a series of legal controversies in the United States.
In February of this year, more than 20 religious groups sued the Trump administration for allowing ICE arrests in churches, arguing that it violated religious freedom and created fear among the faithful.
Meanwhile, in August, civil organizations sued the state of Florida for the migration center “Alligator Alcatraz,” reporting inhumane conditions, illegal detentions, and food infested with worms.
The impact on Cuban migrants
The reports come at a particularly sensitive time for the Cuban community in the United States, where thousands of compatriots have gone through ICE detention centers while awaiting hearings or asylum resolutions.
For those suffering from chronic illnesses, emotional crises, or previous traumas, the conditions described in the document pose a considerable risk.
The ACLU hopes that the case will be certified as a class action, which would allow them to represent all individuals held at the facility. If the court rules in favor of the plaintiffs, it could set a national precedent regarding ICE's obligations concerning humane treatment and adequate medical care.
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