NEW: Sen. Ossoff Investigation Uncovers Over 1,000 Credible Reports of Human Rights Abuses in Immigration Detention

Click here to read Sen. Ossoff's new report

Sen. Ossoff's investigation had previously uncovered reports of abuse of pregnant women and children in immigration detention & medical neglect and denial of adequate food or water

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff's investigation has now uncovered over 1,000 credible reports of human rights abuses in immigration detention.

Early last year, Sen. Ossoff launched an investigation into human rights abuses in U.S. immigration detention. As part of the ongoing probe, Sen. Ossoff has released two reports, which uncovered credible reports of abuse of pregnant women and children in immigration detention and shocking reports of medical neglect and denial of adequate food or water for ICE detainees.

Today, Sen. Ossoff released a new report, finding an undeniable pattern of human rights abuse in immigration detention in the first year of the Trump Administration with over 1,000 credible reports of human rights abuses.

"The American people demand and deserve secure borders. The American people also believe every human being should be treated with dignity and respect, and these reports of unacceptable abuse and mistreatment shock the conscience and demand accountability," Sen. Ossoff said.

Credible reports of human rights abuses in Sen. Ossoff's report include:

• An attorney representing a detainee who reportedly gave birth in an ICE facility reported that the detainee was separated from her breastfeeding infant for "several months." When the detainee was released, she reportedly was unable to resume breastfeeding due to the separation.

• A newly postpartum detainee reported to the Senator's staff that she could not shower for weeks while in a detention facility, reportedly because the facility's guards required her to hold her baby at all times.

• A detainee at an ICE facility drank tap water that was reportedly contaminated with high levels of chlorine, which reportedly caused an allergic reaction and severe burns to their throat and nasal passages. The detainee was reportedly denied medical help for over seven hours and reportedly lost consciousness before being transferred to a medical clinic.

• Multiple detainees reported that DHS officials threatened to take their children away if they did not sign a voluntary departure form.

The vast majority of the 1,037 credible reports of human rights abuses received or identified by the Senator's staff originated from facilities in Texas (179 credible reports), Florida (168 credible reports), California (146 credible reports), and Georgia (137 credible reports).

Sen. Ossoff continues working to strengthen Congressional oversight and investigate abuses in U.S. detention centers, prisons, and jails.

This fall, Sen. Ossoff led Senate colleagues in launching an inquiry with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pressing the administration for answers about obstruction of Congressional access to detention facilities.

In 2024, Sen. Ossoff launched an inquiry with U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) into delays deploying licensed child welfare professionals to assist children who are temporarily in U.S. Southern Border facilities.

In 2022, Sen. Ossoff led an 18-month bipartisan investigation into medical mistreatment of women in U.S. detention, which uncovered that female detainees at the now-reopened Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia were subjected to "invasive, and often unnecessary gynecological procedures."

Also in 2022, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock pressed the Biden Administration for answers about allegations of sexual assault against women at the ICE Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia.

Click here to read Sen. Ossoff's new report: Over 1,000 Credible Reports of Human Rights Abuses in U.S. Immigration Detention.

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