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Extreme Heat Plagues Expanding ICE Detention Network, Endangering Detainees
19 Oct
Summary
- ICE plans to nearly double detention capacity by 2025
- ICE facilities experience 11 more days of dangerous heat than other prisons
- Detainees report faulty air conditioning and overcrowded, moldy cells
In the coming years, detainees at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities will face increasing dangers from extreme heat exposure. According to internal planning documents, ICE intends to nearly double its detention capacity from 55,000 to over 107,000 people by the end of 2025.
This rapid expansion is concerning, as ICE detention centers already experience disproportionately high temperatures compared to federal, state, and county prisons. On average, ICE facilities endure 29 days of dangerous heat per year—11 more than other correctional institutions. The hottest 10% of ICE facilities are exposed to an average of 93 days of unhealthy temperatures annually.
Detainees have long reported problems with air conditioning in these detention centers, often describing overcrowded, moldy cells and inconsistent climate control. Advocacy groups and government inspectors have also documented these issues, which are likely to worsen as the detention network grows. Without clear policies to address heat exposure, the health of detainees in the sweltering South and Southwest regions is at serious risk.
