California ICE Detention Center Found to Have Inadequate Medical Care, Court Monitor Says

A court-appointed monitor has concluded that California’s largest immigration detention center failed to provide adequate medical care to detainees, finding the facility out of compliance with a previous federal court order intended to improve healthcare standards.

According to a court filing, Dr. Muthusamy Anandkumar reported that the California City detention facility lacks a dependable system for delivering consistent medical treatment, exposing detainees to significant risks of immediate and long-term health complications. The findings followed a comprehensive three-day inspection that included interviews with more than a dozen staff members and 40 detainees, along with reviews of 141 medical records and thousands of pages of documents supplied by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and CoreCivic, the private company operating the facility.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said the investigation represents the first comprehensive review of healthcare services at an ICE detention center conducted by a court-appointed independent monitor. Earlier this year, a federal judge ordered the assessment and outlined eight essential requirements for a functional healthcare system, including sufficient medical staffing, prompt emergency response, and timely access to prescribed medications.

The monitor determined that the detention center failed to meet all eight standards established by the court, raising concerns about the quality and reliability of medical services provided to detainees.

In response, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, stated that detainees are not denied medical care and emphasized that ICE facilities undergo regular audits and inspections to ensure compliance with national detention standards. DHS also said the agency provides access to medical appointments and around-the-clock emergency healthcare services.

CoreCivic said it is reviewing the report and reiterated that the health, safety, and well-being of individuals in its care remain its highest priority. The company added that an on-site ICE official is responsible for monitoring compliance with federal detention policies.

The report comes as ICE remains central to President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies. Human rights organizations have criticized the agency, alleging violations of due process and free speech while raising concerns about conditions inside detention facilities. The Trump administration maintains that its immigration policies are designed to strengthen national security. Reports indicate that approximately 50 people have died while in ICE custody since Trump took office in January last year.