chicago — Lawyers for the state of Illinois filed a lawsuit against federal authorities on Friday over allegedly “inhumane and torturous” conditions in the Chicago area Federal immigration Facility.
Lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois and the MacArthur Justice Center say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have denied detaining people at the justice center. Broadview facility Private calls with lawyers and members of Congress, religious leaders and journalists were denied access Entering the buildingThey say the creation of the “black box” allowed the authorities to act “with impunity.”
Agents also allegedly forced people detained at the processing center to sign papers they did not understand, causing them to waive their rights without their knowledge. The face of deportationaccording to the lawsuit.
Representatives of ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Friday.
Community members are “snatched off the streets, placed in cells, deprived of food, medical care and basic necessities, and forced to sign waivers of their legal rights,” said Alexa Van Brandt, director of the MacArthur Center for Justice’s Illinois office and lead attorney on the lawsuit.
“Every person, regardless of their legal status, has the right to a lawyer and to be free from horrific and inhumane conditions,” she said.
The lawyers accuse ICE, the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection of violating detainees’ Fifth Amendment right to due process and First Amendment right to legal counsel, and asked the court to force the agencies to improve facility conditions.
At the defenders For several months It raised concerns about conditions at the facility, which have drawn scrutiny from members of Congress, political candidates and activist groups. Lawyers and relatives of people detained at the facility have described it as a virtual detention center, where up to 200 people are detained at a time without access to legal counsel.
The Department of Homeland Security has previously rejected the allegations, saying detainees at the facility receive adequate meals, medical treatment and access to family members and attorneys.
The Broadview Center also sparked demonstrations that led to the arrest of several protesters. The protests are the focus of a separate lawsuit filed by a coalition of media outlets and protesters who claim federal agents violated their First Amendment rights by repeatedly using… Tear gas And other weapons on them.
US District Judge Sarah Ellis The United States sided with the coalition earlier this month, requiring federal agents in the Chicago area to wear badges and barring them from using some riot control techniques against peaceful protesters and journalists. And later, Ellis too Body cameras required For agents who have After raising concerns about her initial order not being followed.