Progress Reported as Federal Judge Orders Improvements in Chicago Immigration Facility

Sat Nov 08 2025 02:51:26 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A federal judge is optimistic about improvements being made at a Chicago-area ICE facility following alleged inhumane conditions faced by detainees. Advocates express continued concerns.

U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman has ordered changes at a federal immigration facility in Broadview, Illinois, citing reports of overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and lack of basic necessities. The government has begun implementing improvements, but advocates remain skeptical about the extent of compliance. Judge Gettleman emphasized the need for accessible communication for detainees and scheduled further meetings to ensure progress.

CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge expressed optimism over the government’s efforts to address critical issues in a Chicago-area federal immigration facility where detainees have reported inhumane conditions.

Recent updates include regular cleaning, providing new bedding, and improving access to drinking water and soap for detainees held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the west suburb of Broadview.

U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman mandated these changes after hearing emotional testimony from detainees about issues like overflowing toilets, cramped cells, and the absence of basic hygiene necessities, leading to him criticizing the conditions as “unnecessarily cruel.”

The detainees' accounts highlighted significant concerns that have risen over the past months, prompting scrutiny from various advocacy groups and members of Congress. Lawyers and families describe the site as a de facto detention center, with ongoing demonstrations in response to its conditions.

I am pleased with the government’s report, and hopefully, we’re moving in the right direction, said Judge Gettleman.

The federal government asserts that it is making substantial headway in adhering to the order, which remains effective for 14 days.

Staff have started cleaning holding rooms twice daily and have ordered new bedding and mattresses. Reports indicate that toiletries and drinking water are available, but attorneys advocate for more supportive measures, such as access to toothbrushes for detainees.

Advocates remain skeptical, voicing doubts about the actual implementation of changes as they demand inspections of the facility.

Alexa Van Brunt, director of the MacArthur Justice Center which represents the plaintiffs, voiced frustrations over communication breakdowns between detainees and their attorneys, stressing the importance of resolving these issues swiftly to comply with constitutional rights.

This has been such a repeated issue, and one that has had significant consequences, she noted.

In a significant update, Judge Sara Ellis ordered the immediate release of lead plaintiffs Pablo Moreno Gonzalez and Felipe Agustin Zamacona from ICE custody, celebrating their release as a victory.

After bravely sharing their harrowing accounts of what it is like to be detained in Broadview, we are incredibly relieved that they no longer have to be held in inhumane conditions and can be safely returned to their families, Van Brunt stated.

Earlier, Judge Ellis imposed strict limitations on the use of force by federal agents, criticizing misleading statements made by a Border Patrol official about threats posed to agents by protestors.