The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella coverage and advocacy group that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights teams all through New York, stated on Tuesday, July 22, {that a} new video reveals inhumane circumstances contained in the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Middle at 26 Federal Plaza in decrease Manhattan.
“At present, newly launched video reveals what immigrant New Yorkers have been telling their households and attorneys for months: the tenth Flooring of 26 Federal Plaza is an ICE detention facility,” NYIC stated. “ICE has repeatedly claimed that the tenth Flooring shouldn’t be topic to Congressional oversight as a result of it’s categorized as a holding middle.”
In accordance with Division of Homeland Safety Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, “26 Federal Plaza shouldn’t be a detention middle. It’s a Federal constructing with an ICE regulation enforcement workplace within it.”
However NYIC stated the video backs up what has been broadly communicated by individuals inside: “they’re detained there for days and weeks at a time with out showers, medicine or a change of garments, sleeping on the ground, and with minimal meals and outdoors contact.”
Assistant Secretary McLaughlin additionally stated, “Any declare that there’s overcrowding or subprime circumstances is categorically false.”
Nevertheless, NYIC stated the video reveals individuals detained on the tenth Flooring are being held in crowded and unsanitary circumstances.
NYIC stated that, “on Could 20, federal brokers started making arrests and disappearing individuals after they left their immigration court docket instances at 26 Federal Plaza, 290 Broadway, and 201 Varick St..“
On June 8, NYIC stated US Congressmembers Nydia Velázquez, Adriano Espaillat, Dan Goldman, and Jerry Nadler have been “categorically denied their authorized authority to view the detention facility on a number of tried visits.”
NYIC stated all members of Congress have the authority to “conduct unannounced inspections of detention amenities holding people in federal immigration custody,” beneath 2019’s Congressional Public Legislation 116-93, Sec. 405 (this was additional codified by 2025’s Congressional Division of Homeland Safety Appropriations Act, Sec. 527.a).
“All New Yorkers ought to have the ability to attend their immigration court docket instances with out being separated from their households just because they adopted the method,” Murad Awawdeh, NYIC’s president and CEO, informed Caribbean Life. “ICE is kidnapping so many individuals from New York’s immigration courts that they needed to create a brand new detention facility on the tenth Flooring of 26 Federal Plaza.
“However as a substitute of sharing the reality with the general public, ICE has skirted accountability by constantly mendacity about what’s occurring on the tenth flooring, and breaking the regulation by not permitting Congress members to view the circumstances,” he added. “New Yorkers deserve accountability and justice at 26 Federal Plaza and should have the ability to safely attend their court docket proceedings with out worry of being detained and disappeared.
“The tenth Flooring detention facility have to be shut down instantly, and recurrently inspected to make sure that ICE adheres to federal pointers as mandated by regulation,” Awawdeh demanded.
Velázquez stated the tenth Flooring at 26 Federal Plaza has grow to be “the epicenter of the Trump administration’s mass deportation marketing campaign in New York Metropolis.
“Since Could, ICE has been snatching New Yorkers off the streets and out of immigration court docket and taking them to this flooring,” she stated. “They’ve claimed it’s not a detention facility, only a ‘processing middle,’ to dam Members of Congress from exercising our authorized proper to conduct oversight.
“They’ve additionally dismissed repeated reviews of overcrowding and inhumane circumstances,” Velázquez added. “This video confirms what we’ve feared all alongside: ICE has been mendacity and locking us out to cover what’s occurring inside.
“There is no such thing as a extra excuse. ICE should grant Members of Congress quick entry to the tenth Flooring and shut this facility down,” the U.S. Rep. continued.
“The circumstances on the tenth flooring of 26 Federal Plaza are a blatant violation of human rights and due course of, and I used to be deeply alarmed by lately uncovered video footage exhibiting immigrants detained by ICE compelled to sleep on filthy flooring, share a single lavatory amongst almost 30 individuals, and endure inhumane remedy,” stated U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat.
“The surroundings wherein these people are being compelled to stay is indicative of the Trump administration’s sentiment in direction of immigrants as disposable and serves as additional justification to proceed to demand oversight and accountability at these amenities,” he added. “This video demonstrates an ethical and authorized failure that calls for quick motion.”
NYS Meeting Member Catalina Cruz stated: “It’s outrageous that 26 Federal Plaza—a constructing that was as soon as seen as a key step in direction of the so-called American dream is now being weaponized to impose a residing nightmare on our immigrant neighbors.
“This constructing is now getting used to detain immigrants in merciless and oppressive circumstances,” she stated. “Our courts will not be alleged to be instruments of surveillance or entrapment. When somebody walks right into a courtroom to combat for his or her rights, they shouldn’t be met with the specter of being snatched by ICE and thrown right into a holding cell with no entry to primary dignity.
“This can be a calculated assault on immigrant communities, and it undermines the very basis of our authorized system,” Cruz added. “Individuals with legit claims deserve a good probability to be heard—to not be ambushed, detained, and handled like criminals for merely exhibiting up.
“As such, we name for the total and quick shutdown of this detainment middle at 26 Federal Plaza,” she continued. “If we need to restore human dignity, this should cease now.”
NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams stated, “Time and time once more, the Trump administration has demonstrated a blatant willingness to ignore the rule of regulation in ways in which endanger us all.
“ICE should cease violating Constitutional rights, disappearing individuals, and disincentivizing them from collaborating of their immigration court docket instances,” she stated. “Nobody is above the regulation or primary accountability, and the reviews from inside 26 Federal Plaza and denying entry to officers with authorized authority to examine the amenities solely illustrate Trump administration officers’ perception that they don’t need to respect the Structure and federal legal guidelines.
“This continued illegal conduct by federal officers makes our metropolis and nation much less secure,” Speaker Adams added.
As Chair of the NYC Council’s Committee on Immigration, Council Member Alexa Avilés stated she has “lengthy referred to as on the Trump administration to droop its clear violations of due course of and human rights.
“At present, I echo these calls as footage confirms that ICE is unlawfully utilizing places of work inside 26 Federal Plaza as a detention facility,” she stated. “From Florida to New York, individuals are being held in deplorable and inhumane circumstances, a lot of whom have been, the truth is, following immigration legal guidelines.
“This isn’t about public security; these actions are centered on dehumanizing and harming immigrant New Yorkers, and it wants to finish now,” Avilés added.
