Michigan Democrats Raise Alarm Over Reports of Hunger Strike at Largest ICE Facility in Midwest

Today, U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), alongside all U.S. House Democrats in Michigan's congressional delegation, raised alarms over reports of an alleged ongoing hunger strike at the North Lake Processing Center (NLPC) in Baldwin, Michigan. The center is the largest ICE facility in the Midwest; nearly 1,400 people are currently being held here. In a letter to the Trump Administration, the Michigan Democrats uplifted the concerns over facility conditions following a plethora of reports of dangerous conditions, poor medical care, and limited opportunities for legal recourse for detainees.

"The claims by detainees about the conditions at the facility are troubling and follow reporting in March 2026 that called medical care at the facility into question, given the NLPC placed 87 emergency calls between June 2025 and January 2026, many of which were for "sick unknown" cases and unconscious or unresponsive detainees," the lawmakers said. "On April 23, 2026, ICE told reporters that "there is no hunger strike at the ICE North Lake Processing Facility" and "any claim that there are subprime conditions at the North Lake Facility… is false." We are troubled that the repeated reports from detainees and their advocates stand in such stark contrast to the statements from ICE."

The lawmakers are pressing for answers to a series of questions from the Trump Administration, including information on the alleged hunger strike currently occurring at the facility.

In addition to Congresswoman Dingell, the letter is signed by U.S. Representatives Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI-08), Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Hillary Scholten (D-MI-03), and Haley Stevens (D-MI-11).

A copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:

Dear Secretary Mullin and Acting Director Lyons:

This letter is seeking answers about the alleged conditions faced by detainees at the North Lake Processing Center (NLPC) in Baldwin, Michigan, as well as the alleged hunger strike currently occurring at the facility. We are deeply concerned that reports of a possible hunger strike are not aligned with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) statements. We urge ICE to provide greater oversight of this privately-operated facility to ensure the health and wellbeing of the people being held there.

The North Lake Processing Center is the largest detention center in the Midwest. It is a privately-owned GEO Group facility that previously operated as a prison under contract with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. During this time, numerous alleged hunger strikes took place at the facility over demands for adequate food and medical care for detainees. Nearly 1,400 people are currently being held at the NLPC.

It has been reported that detainees began a hunger strike at the North Lake Processing Center on April 19, 2026, over "dangerous" detention conditions, poor medical care, and limited opportunities for legal recourse. The claims by detainees about the conditions at the facility are troubling and follow reporting in March 2026 that called medical care at the facility into question, given the NLPC placed 87 emergency calls between June 2025 and January 2026, many of which were for "sick unknown" cases and unconscious or unresponsive detainees. On April 23, 2026, ICE told reporters that "there is no hunger strike at the ICE North Lake Processing Facility" and "any claim that there are subprime conditions at the North Lake Facility… is false." We are troubled that the repeated reports from detainees and their advocates stand in such stark contrast to the statements from ICE. ICE has a responsibility to be transparent in its operations and to clearly communicate with local communities about their policies and activities.

This disconnect between media reports and official statements comes at a time when the Trump Administration has gutted the offices that were in place to safeguard against violations to detainee's rights, the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) and the Office of the Immigration Detention ombudsman (OIDO). Since January 2025, staffing for the CRCL has dropped by 80% and staffing for OID has dropped by 96%.

Given these concerns, we would like to request your responses to the following questions no later than May 1, 2026:

• Is there a hunger strike occurring at the North Lake Processing Center?
  • If so, how many detainees are participating in the strike or refusing food?
    
• If there was a hunger strike occurring at the North Lake Processing Center, how would ICE handle the situation?
  
• What policies are in place by ICE and the North Lake Processing Center regarding detainee protests?
  
• How does ICE define adequate food? How does ICE define a meal?
  • Are privately run facilities contracted by ICE required to use these same definitions?
  • How do ICE and the NLPC manage dietary restrictions, including those for religious practices, for detainees?
  • How many meals are offered every day?
    
• How does ICE define adequate drinking water?
  • Are privately run facilities contracted by ICE required to use this same definition?
    
• How does ICE define adequate medical care?
  • Are privately run facilities contracted by ICE required to use this same definition?
  • How many medical personnel are on site at the NLPC to handle the needs of detainees?
    
• Are detainees at the North Lake Processing Center receiving adequate food and medical care, in line with ICE requirements?
  
• How many detainees have had to be taken to medical facilities outside NLPC for care since the NLPC opened? And for what reasons?
  • How many detainees have been denied medical care at NLPC?
  • What are the current wait times for non-emergency medical care for detainees at NLPC?
    
• Has anyone died at the North Lake Processing Center?
  • If so, how many and why?
    
• How many translators are employed at the North Lake Processing Center?
  • When do detainees at NLPC have access to a translator?

Thank you for your attention to this issue. We look forward to your response.