A Department of Homeland Security watchdog report revealed that staff at an ICE detention center in Louisiana used a prohibited chokehold to “gain control” of one person being held there and stabbed another in the hand with a pen when an officer could not close the door to a housing unit.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The newly released findings about Winn Correctional Center in central Louisiana follow the DHS Inspector General’s review of video of the use-of-force incidents as part of an unannounced facility inspection.
The report, which was published on the DHS website, also noted that the officer who stabbed the detainee with a pen was disciplined.FORSUBSCRIBERS00:0000:00Why an ICE detention center in New Jersey has sparked protests02:55Staff failed to maintain safe and sanitary conditions, the report states, noting leaking vents and ceilings with insulation falling through.Facility staff used napkins and Styrofoam containers to collect the water from the leaks, according to the report.The report comes as scrutiny grows about conditions inside ICE detention centers that house more than 60,000 detainees.
Earlier Wednesday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended his agency’s detention standards on Capitol Hill amid complaints about ICE’s Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark, New Jersey.That center has been the site of frequent protests.Rep.
Tim Kennedy, a Democrat from New York, accused Mullin of leaving detainees without food or medical care.Mullin rejected the claims.
“You can say all you want, but don’t accuse me of something that’s not accurate,” the secretary said.The IG made nine recommendations ranging from environmental health and safety standards, proper handling of use of force incidents and maintaining food service standards.ICE is working to address all these issues, including by providing additional staff training, a spokespe...