Rep. Torres Calls For Expanded State Oversight of Adelanto ICE Facility Following Court Injunction and Reports of Gross Violations

September 08, 2026 Rep. Torres Calls For Expanded State Oversight of Adelanto ICE Facility Following Court Injunction and Reports of Gross Violations Following federal failures, Congresswoman requests that California officials conduct additional inspections and enforce state health codes to ensure safety and well-being of individuals at Adelanto facility. WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Norma J. Torres (CA-35) called on California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS) Secretary Kim Johnson to expand state inspections and oversight of the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, building on congressional oversight efforts into reported health and safety violations at the facility. “For months, I have been demanding answers about conditions at Adelanto, and the federal government has continued to fall short,” said Rep. Norma J. Torres . “Four people have died there since early 2025, yet reports of unsafe conditions continue even after a federal court ordered the facility to make changes. These are not just violations on paper. They put people’s health and lives at risk. When the federal government fails to protect people in its custody, California must step in and use every tool available under state law to protect human life and hold GEO Group accountable.” Rep. Torres’s oversight of Adelanto predates the latest allegations regarding contaminated drinking water. Since January 2025, Congresswoman Torres and her office have conducted 20 oversight visits at the Adelanto facility, spoken with detained constituents, and sought investigations from federal and state officials into water quality, medical care, and safety conditions. The latest request follows a July 16 preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Sunshine Suzanne Sykes in L.T. v. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement , which found that facility operator The GEO Group, Inc. likely subjected detainees to unconstitutional and inhumane conditions, including mold, disease, unsafe food and water, and inadequate medical care. Recent video evidence has also reportedly shown worm-like organisms in the facility’s drinking water. In her letter, Rep. Torres called on the California Department of Justice (CA DOJ )and CalHHS to coordinate with county health officials and use state authority under AB 103 and SB 1132 to inspect Adelanto and other immigration detention facilities across California. She requested responses from state leadership regarding upcoming inspection schedules, coordination with county health officials, and any barriers state officials have encountered from GEO Group, DHS, or ICE during previous oversight efforts. The full letter to Attorney General Bonta and Secretary Johnson is available here . Print Email Share Tweet