A federal judge in Chicago has drawn a hard line on what he called “unconstitutional and inhumane” conditions at a suburban immigration facility, ordering federal officials to clean up their act—literally.
The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman, came after detainees at the Broadview, Illinois, holding center described squalid cells, filthy toilets, and a near-total lack of privacy. Their accounts, the judge said, were “highly credible” and painted a grim picture of how those in custody were being treated.
In a rare move, Gettleman granted a temporary restraining order that compels officials to meet basic hygiene and nutrition standards and ensure that detainees can speak privately with their attorneys. He even expanded the order beyond what the plaintiffs had asked for, citing testimony that revealed just how poor the conditions had become.
Under the order, federal agents must also log every detainee’s presence in an official U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement record—a step aimed at ending what advocates described as a “black box” system where people vanished into bureaucratic obscurity.
Witnesses told the court of overcrowded, unsanitary spaces where people were forced to sleep on the floor, unable to make confidential legal calls. Federal lawyers countered that Broadview was merely a temporary processing site, not a long-term detention center, and that stricter oversight could hinder immigration enforcement.
The case lands amid a wave of challenges to President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown in the Chicago area. The Broadview site—once used briefly for processing—has been transformed into a de facto holding center since the policy shift began in September.
The government has until Friday to show progress on compliance with the court order, which will remain in effect until November 19, when the next hearing is scheduled.
In recent months, several federal judges in Chicago have also rebuked the administration on related issues, halting a National Guard deployment and curbing the use of force by immigration agents against demonstrators and journalists.
This latest order sends a blunt reminder: even in detention, human dignity is not optional.
