At Spotlight Forum, Murray Highlights Unacceptable ICE Detention Conditions, Detention Tactics; Murray Continues Push for Accountability and Reform

ICYMI : Senator Murray Calls on ICE to Stop Deportation of Seattle Small Business Owner, Return Him to Washington State *** WATCH : Senator Murray’s full questioning*** Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Senator Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) spotlight forum on ICE detention facility conditions and highlighted the unacceptable conditions the Trump administration has created in these facilities while also decimating virtually all independent oversight of the agency. Senator Murray spoke with witnesses; Dr. Michele Heisler, Medical Director at Physicians for Human Rights; Michelle Brané, former Ombudsman for the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman; and Jennifer Babaie, Associate Director of National Immigrant Justice Center’s Adult Detention Project. [ ICE DETENTION MEDICAL STANDARDS ] Senator Murray began by asking Dr. Heisler about medical standards in ICE detention centers. 52 people have died so far in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody since President Trump returned to the White House. Deaths inside of immigration detention centers are rising and now occur at a rate of roughly one every six days. Many of the deaths likely could have been avoided if appropriate medical care was provided to detainees. MURRAY: First of all, Senator Durbin, thank you so much for having this hearing and thank you all four of you for sharing incredible testimony, I so appreciate it. Dr. Heisler, let me ask you, you talked about people dying in ICE custody at increasingly alarming rates—there were 20 reported deaths in the first six months of this year alone. If that trend continues through the end of this year, we will have seen 200 percent increase in deaths in 2026 over 2024. I just want to ask you, if a hospital had a record like that—and then blocked health inspectors from entering—what would happen to that hospital? HEISLER: I think JCAHO and other bodies would shut it down. MURRAY: It would shut down. Absolutely. Well, Republicans just gave ICE and CBP another $70 billion—and that is with a ‘B’–without any guardrails. If ICE wanted to make sure that adequate medical services are provided in custody, does the agency have the resources to do that? Does the agency have the resources to ensure adequate medical services? HEISLER: I think what’s discouraging is that a lot of the money has gone to increasing the number of detention centers, with not a commensurate amount going towards appropriate medical staff. MURRAY: Well, I mean let’s be clear, they have a record budget—they have more than most militaries. So, they could, absolutely, make sure people in their care at least got the basic medical care and attention that they deserve, I think that’s very clear. You know, back in my state of Washington, I had to yell and shout to anyone who would listen about a constituent of mine, his name was Wilmer—he was violently mauled by a Border Patrol K-9. He was refused medical care for hours and when he got to the detention facility, he was still denied very basic, routine care that doctors had recommended for him. So, I will just say on my part, I will keep yelling about this, and we all should be. I think dignity and humanity is what our country is known for, and we are fighting for that. [ DETENTION OVERSIGHT ] Senator Murray continued by asking Michelle Brané about DHS’s decision to gut critical oversight offices, such as the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) and the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO). MURRAY: Michelle Brané, in Tacoma, Washington—my state—state health inspectors were turned away ten times from the Northwest ICE Processing Center. While more than 3,500 complaints about the detention center piled up with our state department of health. And this is after two people have died while they were detained there and six have attempted suicide. A federal judge finally ruled that health inspectors needed to be let in. But the private contractor, which is [G]EO Group, is still fighting back and is still denying them access. You worked within DHS to help detainees receive proper medical care and navigate challenging situations. Tell us what the Trump administration’s destruction of all the independent oversight mechanisms at DHS, including your office of the ombudsman, meant for the safety and health of detainees who are being kept in custody? BRANÉ: Well, the simple answer to that is that it endangered the lives of anybody in detention. And I would say not just the people being detained in detention, but they are endangering the lives of everybody in that facility. MURRAY: I would absolutely agree. You know, again, ICE doesn’t lack for money; they have money. There is a lot of funding there. They just don’t want anybody to know how bad it is inside the facilities. In fact, [G]EO Group doesn’t care about how the people are treated. And apparently, neither does the Trump administration. Again, we care about human dignity, and I think this hearing reminds all of us that we have to fight for it, it’s not a given. [ ACCESS TO LEGAL COUNSEL ] Then, Senator Murray asked about ICE moving people across state lines with no notice—which often leaves families and attorneys struggling to receive the basic due process every person should expect in America. MURRAY: Finally, Ms. Babaie, when ICE moves someone across state lines, away from their families, their homes, their attorneys—is that an accident? Or is that a deliberate strategy? BABAIE: ICE transfers from facility to facility are absolutely intentional. Back in previous administrations, the excuse often given was that it was a matter of beds, but we know when I have clients based in Indiana, or in Michigan, or in Kentucky, where there are adequate, if not too many, beds, that that’s not the reason. MURRAY: So, it is a strategy? BABAIE: It is absolutely a strategy. MURRAY: Well, this is exactly what ICE has done with a constituent of mine, his name is Eduardo. He’s lived in Seattle for 23 years, he is a small business owner, he has deep ties in our community, no criminal record, and he’s married to an American citizen. He was detained on the job in West Seattle and sent to the ICE facility in Tacoma. His wife and his attorney went to visit him in the morning – he was gone. At 2am, ICE had put him on a plane, and now he’s being detained in Texas. He’s simply asking to be transferred back to Washington state so he can be near his family and his attorney. This is a really ugly tactic that we are seeing, and it is not justice. And again, I remind all of us: we have to stand up and fight for this. So, thank you for having this hearing. ###