A Department of Homeland Security watchdog report noted some operational issues with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Louisiana, raising some humanitarian concerns about ICE practices.
The DHS inspector general reviewed Winn Correctional Center, which it said holds 1,576 males, in central Louisiana. In the report released this week, the watchdog determined that staff members have not always created safe and sanitary conditions and that there has been questionable use of force, making nine recommendations to rectify concerns. The development comes after critics have raised concerns about other ICE centers nationwide, particularly Camp East Montana in Texas, where multiple detainees have died.
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“The [Winn Correctional] facility did not fully comply with reviewed standards for environmental health and safety, food service, use of force, medical care, classification, voluntary work program, legal access and materials, staff-detainee communication, and outdoor recreation,” the report reads.
The report indicated facility staff did not document and submit prompt and appropriate notifications to ICE for all use-of-force incidents, ensure detainees had adequate access to legal materials, or provide outdoor recreation equipment to detainees in disciplinary special management units, and it added that medical staff did not always update medical records or document interpretation of lab test results, among other problems. Deteriorating ceilings, food-safety hazards, and a failure to provide the inspector general with all documentation on use-of-force incidents were among other problems flagged by the watchdog.
In five use-of-force incidents reviewed, facility staff used prohibited techniques in at least three situations and did not document prompt and required notification to ICE in four of those incidents, according to the report.
The facility was found to be complying with performance-based national detention standards for SMU, general hygiene, and the grievance system during the unannounced visit.
The inspector general made nine recommendations, ranging from ensuring compliance with staff-detainee communication and medical care standards to coming in line with food service standards.
A DHS spokesperson said in a statement that ICE “is working to address” the problems by shoring up training for staff.
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“The report found that Winn Corrections Center complies with the Performance-based national detention standards,” the spokesperson said. “These minor infractions included failing to provide detainees exercise equipment, record keeping errors, and leaking vents. Another infraction included providing a shared computer for legal research that would allow other detainees to see other detainees’ case information. ICE is working to address all these issues including by adding additional training to facility staff.
“ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens. In many states we have twice as many medical staff and space for detainees. Our death rates are lower than most state prisons.”
