Shocking new reporting from inside Trump’s immigration detention centers.

A Marine veteran’s father, Narciso Barranco, was violently arrested by ICE and held in Adelanto—one of many U.S. immigration detention centers plagued by overcrowding, medical neglect, and human rights violations. New investigations reveal this is not an isolated case but a nationwide crisis. Urgent oversight and reform are needed.

A raw look inside ICE detention centers under the Trump administration, revealing patterns of overcrowding, neglect, and violence through new investigative reporting, first-hand accounts, and recent data.

When people think of detention centers, it’s easy to imagine beige walls and little else. But I remember the day I interviewed a young man who’d just been released from Adelanto, his hands trembling as he described the blood still on his shirt—evidence of a beating he’d endured from ICE agents. This is not an isolated snapshot; it’s the crack in the system’s facade. New reporting and wrenching 911 calls expose just how much we’ve been missing, and paint a picture of a system in crisis.

Through the Wire: Eyewitness Stories from ICE Detention

Inside America’s immigration detention facilities, stories like that of Narciso Barranco reveal the harsh realities faced by thousands. The ICE detention conditions at centers such as Adelanto, a private prison located outside Los Angeles, have come under renewed scrutiny following shocking new reporting and personal accounts from detainees and their families. These stories, often hidden from public view, shed light on the brutality, neglect, and trauma woven into the fabric of the U.S. immigration system.

From Arrest to Detention: The Case of Narciso Barranco

Narciso Barranco’s ordeal began in the most ordinary of settings—at work, landscaping outside an IHOP in Santa Ana, California. According to his son, Alejandro Barranco, Narciso was approached by federal agents who did not identify themselves. The arrest was violent and swift. Video footage, later released by authorities, shows Narciso being beaten, bloodied, and shoved into an unmarked car. The brutality of the arrest shocked many who saw the images. Alejandro, a U.S. Marine veteran, described the aftermath:

“He’s still wearing the same clothes that they got him in. He still has blood on his shirt from the beating. His eyes are still burning. He hasn’t been able to shower. He hasn’t been able to wash his face.”

This firsthand account is not an isolated incident. Research shows that ICE agent brutality and excessive use of force are recurring issues in immigration detention facilities across the country.

Inside Adelanto: Overcrowded, Unsanitary, and Unsafe

After his arrest, Narciso was transferred to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center. This facility is notorious for its poor standards and has been repeatedly cited for unsafe and unsanitary conditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a federal court barred Adelanto from admitting new detainees due to the risk posed by its overcrowded and unhygienic environment.

Alejandro’s description of his father’s living conditions paints a grim picture:

• More than 70 detainees packed into a single cell
• Only one toilet available for all
• Limited access to food and water—sometimes only once a day
• No opportunity to shower or change clothes

The trauma is visible everywhere. Detainees are often seen lying on the floor in fetal positions, isolated behind glass and metal doors. Solitary confinement is used extensively, even for those with medical or mental health needs. These ICE detention conditions are not unique to Adelanto; similar reports have emerged from immigration detention facilities nationwide.

Medical Neglect and Rising Incidents

A recent investigation by WIRED into ten of the nation’s largest immigration detention centers—including Adelanto—found a disturbing rise in serious medical incidents. At least 60% of centers analyzed reported pregnancy complications, suicide attempts, or sexual assault allegations. Audio from 911 calls inside these facilities reveals the desperation of both detainees and staff. In one call, a nurse describes a detainee on suicide watch who intentionally injured himself, bleeding from the mouth, while staff scramble to respond.

Such incidents are not rare. Studies indicate that inadequate medical care, neglect, and lack of mental health support are widespread in ICE facilities. The Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman and other oversight bodies have been weakened, reducing accountability and allowing abuses to continue unchecked.

The Human Cost: Families in Crisis

The emotional toll of these conditions extends far beyond the prison walls. Narciso Barranco is the father of three U.S. Marines—one a veteran, two currently serving. His detention has left his family traumatized and fearful. Alejandro’s testimony underscores a painful irony: while his sons serve the country, their father languishes in a cell, denied basic dignity and care.

Many detainees, like Narciso, have no criminal record beyond civil immigration violations or minor infractions. Yet they are subjected to the same harsh ICE detention conditions as those accused of serious crimes. Research shows that the majority of people held in immigration detention facilities are not threats to public safety, but rather individuals caught in a system that prioritizes mass detention over humane treatment.

The expansion of immigration detention under recent policies has only intensified these problems. Overcrowding, poor hygiene, and ICE agent brutality have contributed to a humanitarian crisis that continues to unfold, often out of sight but not out of mind for those whose lives are upended by detention.

Overcrowding, Medical Neglect, and a Rising Humanitarian Crisis

Inside America’s immigration detention system, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding—one marked by overcrowding in detention, medical neglect, and a disturbing rise in preventable suffering. Recent reporting and investigations, including a comprehensive WIRED exposé, have brought to light the harsh realities faced by detainees, many of whom are held for civil immigration violations rather than criminal offenses. The scale and severity of these issues have only intensified in recent years, with data and firsthand accounts painting a grim picture of daily life inside these facilities.

Alarming Patterns: Overcrowding and Medical Emergencies

The numbers are staggering. According to a new investigation, at least 60% of the nation’s largest immigration detention centers have reported serious pregnancy complications, suicide attempts, or allegations of sexual assault. These incidents are not isolated; they represent a pattern of systemic neglect and inadequate detainee medical care. With more than 260,000 people detained by ICE last year across 389 facilities nationwide, the scale of the problem is immense.

Overcrowding in detention centers has become the norm, not the exception. In one reported case, a detainee described being held in a cage with at least 70 others, with only a single toilet, minimal food, and water provided maybe once a day. Privacy is nonexistent, and basic hygiene is impossible. Such conditions are not only inhumane but also create an environment where medical emergencies are more likely and harder to address.

Firsthand Accounts and Disturbing Audio Evidence

The human toll of these conditions is evident in firsthand accounts and newly obtained audio recordings. In one disturbing 911 call from inside a detention center, a nurse describes a detainee on suicide watch who intentionally injured himself, bleeding from the mouth after hitting his head against the wall. The urgency in the nurse’s voice is met with confusion and indecision about whether to proceed with the emergency call—an unsettling glimpse into the lack of clear protocols and adequate response for mental health crises.

Such incidents are not rare. Research shows that suicide attempts in detention centers are rising, and many facilities lack the trained staff to respond effectively. These failures are compounded by the use of solitary confinement, which is frequently employed for both punishment and supposed medical isolation. Detainees in solitary often experience severe psychological distress, with trauma “visible everywhere,” as NBC News correspondent Jacob Soboroff described after visiting the notorious Adelanto facility.

“Trauma…was visible everywhere.” – Jacob Soboroff

Solitary Confinement and Lack of Medical Care

Solitary confinement detainees are among the most vulnerable. Locked in isolation, sometimes for weeks or months, they are cut off from social contact and often denied adequate medical care. The WIRED investigation found that many of the largest centers use solitary confinement extensively, even for those with serious mental health needs. This practice has been linked to increased suicide attempts and long-term psychological harm.

Medical neglect extends beyond mental health. Reports document delays in treatment for physical ailments, inadequate prenatal care for pregnant women, and a lack of basic medical supplies. In some cases, detainees have died from conditions that could have been treated with timely intervention. ICE detention deaths have more than doubled in the past year, underscoring the deadly consequences of substandard care.

Systemic Failures and Eroded Oversight

The crisis is exacerbated by weakened oversight and lowered detention standards. Research indicates that federal offices responsible for monitoring detention conditions have been gutted, reducing accountability and allowing abuses to go unchecked. Despite widespread knowledge of these issues, standards have been lowered to increase detention capacity, prioritizing numbers over safety and well-being.

The result is a humanitarian crisis in immigration detention—one characterized by overcrowding, rampant medical neglect, and a steady rise in deaths and suicide attempts. These conditions affect not only adults but also children and families, many of whom are detained for minor civil infractions or simply seeking safety in the United States. As the number of detainees continues to climb, so too does the urgency of addressing the systemic failures at the heart of this crisis.

Systemic Failures and the Politics of Pain

Inside America’s immigration detention centers, a troubling reality is taking shape—one that exposes deep systemic failures and the politics of pain. Recent reporting and firsthand accounts reveal a system where mass deportations impact families, civil rights violations in immigration detention are routine, and the push for a detention capacity increase is outpacing public support or oversight.

The story of Narciso Barranco, a longtime resident and father of three U.S. Marines, is just one example. Arrested while working as a landscaper, Narciso was beaten by ICE agents, shoved into an unmarked car, and transferred to Adelanto—a private prison notorious for its inhumane conditions. According to his son, Alejandro, Narciso was left in bloodied clothes, denied basic hygiene, and crowded into a cage with 70 others, with almost no food or water. These are not isolated incidents. Investigations have found that most ICE detainees have no criminal record; they are held for civil immigration or minor traffic violations, not for violent crimes.

Research shows that the majority of Americans do not support detaining people like Narciso—those with American-born children, U.S. citizen spouses, or steady jobs. In fact, only 9%, 12%, and 15% of Americans support detention in these cases. Yet, the government is requesting over $40 billion in funding to expand both public and private detention facilities in 2025. This ramp-up in detention capacity comes at a time when reports of detainee neglect deaths and abuses are rising. As Andrea Flores, a former DHS official, pointedly asked,

“If you get a traffic ticket, should you be subject to those conditions that we just heard about?”

The mismatch between public opinion and government action is stark. Most Americans expect immigration enforcement to focus on individuals with serious criminal convictions. Instead, the reality is that families, long-term residents, and even military veterans are being swept up for minor infractions. The expansion of mass deportations is fueling a humanitarian crisis, with overcrowded facilities, inadequate medical care, and frequent reports of physical and psychological abuse.

A new investigation by WIRED into ten of the nation’s largest immigration detention centers, including Adelanto, found that serious medical incidents are on the rise. At least 60% of these centers reported pregnancy complications, suicide attempts, or sexual assault allegations. Audio from inside these facilities paints a grim picture: detainees on suicide watch, medical emergencies, and staff overwhelmed or unable to provide care. These stories echo across hundreds of facilities nationwide, where research indicates that detainee neglect deaths have more than doubled in the last year.

Oversight and accountability have eroded as well. The Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman and other civil rights offices within DHS, once tasked with monitoring conditions and investigating abuses, have been gutted. This leaves detainees with little recourse and allows abuses to persist unchecked. The federal government itself acknowledged in 2019 that detention conditions were inhumane, but standards have only been lowered since then to allow for further increases in capacity.

Despite the clear evidence of harm, the push for greater detention funding continues. The disconnect between public values and policy decisions is glaring. As families are torn apart and communities live in fear, the politics of pain seem to drive the system forward. The question remains: how many more stories like Narciso’s will emerge before meaningful change is made?

The crisis inside America’s immigration detention centers is not just about individual suffering—it is a systemic failure. Mass deportations impact families and communities, civil rights violations in immigration are widespread, and the relentless drive for a detention capacity increase is compounding the problem. Until oversight is restored and priorities realigned with public values, detainee neglect deaths and abuses will likely continue. The politics of pain, left unchecked, threaten the very principles of justice and humanity that the nation claims to uphold.

TL;DR: New exclusive reporting and eyewitness accounts unveil disturbing realities inside U.S. immigration detention centers—marked by overcrowding, widespread neglect, and serious human rights violations. Urgent change is needed to prevent further abuses.

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