Filipino detainees describe life-threatening neglect in ICE facilities

LOS ANGELES — A sweeping US Senate investigation has found dozens of credible reports of medical neglect, unsafe food and water, and dangerous living conditions across immigration detention centers nationwide.

These findings echo long-standing alarms raised by Filipino and Filipino American communities as health crises deepen for detainees.

The report, released by Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia, is the second installment in an ongoing inquiry into human rights violations in the US immigration detention system.

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Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Georgia) | FILE PHOTO

Drawing from more than 500 accounts of abuse and neglect between January and August, investigators documented more than 80 cases of medical neglect and widespread complaints of insufficient food and foul-smelling or unsafe water.

One detainee suffered a heart attack after reporting chest pain for days without treatment, while others went weeks without prescriptions or access to inhalers and essential medication. A Homeland Security staff member told investigators that “ambulances have to come almost every day.”

Ossoff said the findings point to a “deeper failure of oversight,” adding, “Every human being is entitled to dignity and humane treatment.”

Filipino detainees

For many Filipino detainees, these conclusions mirror the crises they say they have lived through — crises they describe as preventable, worsening and sometimes life-threatening.

Across Washington, Georgia, Indiana and other states, Filipino detainees and their families have reported severe lapses in medical care, unsafe food and deteriorating physical and mental health.

The Tanggol Migrante Movement (TMM), the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) and Filipino health workers have documented cases of detainees whose conditions worsened dramatically while in custody.

Tanggol Migrante advocates for Filipinos detained in ICE facilities. FILE PHOTO

Greggy Valerio Sorio (‘Kuya G’)

Greggy Valerio Sorio (“Kuya G”), detained at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) in Tacoma, underwent two emergency foot amputations after what TMM described as a bone infection likely linked to conditions in the facility.

Before hospitalization, he had repeatedly reported internal bleeding — later diagnosed as ulcerative colitis — but was told nothing was wrong. While recovering in a hospital, he remained under 24/7 surveillance by ICE contractors, raising concerns from nurses who said the constant monitoring hindered patient care. He told advocates he was barred from routine communication with family and legal counsel.

Rebecca (‘Tita Rebecca’)

Rebecca (“Tita Rebecca”), a 71-year-old green card holder detained at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, saw her kidney condition worsen after nearly three months without essential medication, according to her daughter and migrant-rights groups. She had previously expressed fear of dying in detention.

Advocates also shared accounts from Stewart detainees that two pregnant women lost their babies while in custody — part of broader reports of inadequate medical response.

Unsafe conditions

Reports from Filipino detainees echo the Senate’s findings on unsafe food and water, with NAFCON and Tanggol Migrante documenting accounts of maggots in beans, raw chicken and meals spaced as far as 12 hours apart.

At the Northwest Detention Center, detainees described poor ventilation and overcrowding that contributed to seven suspected tuberculosis cases, while those held at the Clark County Detention Center in Indiana reported having no privacy, limited access to laundry, and being forced to buy basic necessities at steep prices, including $25 for a T-shirt and $9 for a small bottle of body wash.

These conditions mirror testimony cited in the Senate report, such as detainees competing for bottled water and being served expired milk or portions too small for adults.

Even during hospitalization, Filipino detainees have reported distressing conditions.

At St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Tacoma, a loaded gun left behind by an ICE contractor guarding Kuya G was discovered by a hospital employee, according to a King5 report.

Nurses said the incident endangered staff and patients. Filipino health workers in Los Angeles also described detainees being handcuffed to hospital beds, kept behind closed curtains, and interrogated while medicated.

Lack of government support

Philippine migrant groups in the US have criticized what they describe as insufficient action from the Philippine Embassy and consulates. In response, the Department of Foreign Affairs said its posts in the US “remain actively engaged” in monitoring detained Filipinos and coordinating with American authorities.

DFA spokesperson Angelica Escalona said the mission ensures detainees’ rights are respected and raises medical concerns “as necessary,” noting that health information is shared only with the detainee’s consent.

According to DFA data, nearly 70 Filipinos are in ICE custody. Tanggol Migrante said it has been in contact with more than 30 detainees in multiple states.

Many facilities holding Filipinos — including NWDC and Stewart — are operated by for-profit corporations with multimillion-dollar ICE contracts. Geo Group reported $636.2 million in second-quarter 2025 revenue, while CoreCivic reported $538.2 million for the same period. Advocacy groups warn that privatization contributes to weaker oversight and understaffing.

Washington state health authorities previously sued Geo Group after being denied entry to NWDC while attempting to investigate hundreds of health complaints.

21 detainee deaths

The Senate investigation comes amid the deadliest year in ICE custody in two decades. Twenty-one people have died so far in 2025. Several of those deaths involved Asian immigrants, underscoring what advocates call an escalating humanitarian crisis.

“Philippine nationals are suffering harm that is preventable,” NAFCON wrote in its August report, urging the Philippine government to conduct regular visits, advocate for urgent care, ensure food and water safety, and provide transparent updates.

As federal investigators continue probing systemic failures, Filipino advocates say the conditions documented by the Senate are the same ones they have been reporting for years — and that stronger oversight is needed before more lives are placed at risk.

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