{"id":25837,"date":"2026-05-20T17:21:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T17:21:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/?p=25837"},"modified":"2026-05-20T17:21:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T17:21:18","slug":"as-immigration-enforcement-expands-attorneys-raise-concerns-about-detention-conditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/20\/as-immigration-enforcement-expands-attorneys-raise-concerns-about-detention-conditions\/","title":{"rendered":"As Immigration Enforcement Expands, Attorneys Raise Concerns About Detention Conditions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/jessica-molina.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13407 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/jessica-molina-194x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"194\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/jessica-molina-194x300.jpg 194w, https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/jessica-molina-664x1024.jpg 664w, https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/jessica-molina.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 194px) 100vw, 194px\" \/><\/a>By Jessica Molina<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Heydi\u2019s son experienced mental health challenges as a child. Heydi described her son as a well-mannered and socially engaged young man. She shared memories of going on walks, going to the beach, and going out to restaurants with him.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, since December 2025, Heydi has not been able to communicate with her son. Her son was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in November 2025 at North Lake Processing Center, a privately owned and operated immigration detention center that opened in Baldwin, Michigan in June 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Heydi is one of many parents navigating the realities of immigration detention. ICE detention surged in 2025 following a federal push to increase immigration enforcement operations. Recent data shows that an estimated 60,311 individuals have been detained by ICE (TRAC Reports, April 2026). The same report found that approximately 70.8% of individuals currently held in immigration detention do not have criminal convictions on record. Immigration detention is legally considered a civil detention system, meaning individuals are not intended to be held as punishment for criminal convictions or otherwise treated in a punitive manner.<\/p>\n<p>Advocates and attorneys involved with immigration detention argue that current conditions at North Lake Processing Center are not meeting civil detention standards. On May 13, 2026, the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, a family member, and a local clergy member held a press conference announcing a formal complaint submitted to the ICE Detroit Field Office. During the press conference, attorneys and advocates outlined allegations involving medical neglect, barriers to due process, failures to provide adequate language services, and restrictions related to religious access.<\/p>\n<p>Attorneys accused North Lake of violating ICE Performance-Based National Detention Standards (PBNDS) and constitutional protections governing the obligations detention facilities must follow while operating under federal authority. For example, both the PBNDS and constitutional protections include requirements regarding adequate medical care for individuals in detention.<\/p>\n<p>MIRC illustrated their concerns by sharing allegations of a detainee\u2019s death in December 2025, cases of untreated epilepsy, delayed responses to possible cancer concerns, unmanaged high blood pressure, and seizures. The press conference also included remarks from Dr. Mark Stern, a correctional physician and former Department of Homeland Security detention health expert. Stern stated that, based on the allegations and medical records he reviewed, he had \u201cgrave concerns\u201d regarding the safety of individuals detained at North Lake.<\/p>\n<p>In one example discussed during the press conference, attorneys said a detained woman attempted to alert officers to serious heart-related symptoms by pointing to her heart while appearing to be in pain. According to attorneys, officers responded mockingly with heart gestures rather than providing immediate medical attention. Attorneys further alleged that she was ignored for nearly three hours before fainting. Her blood pressure was later recorded at 229\/134, well above the threshold for a hypertensive emergency.<\/p>\n<p>According to advocates, the incident highlighted broader concerns regarding both medical treatment and communication barriers inside the facility. Because ICE detention often involves individuals with limited English proficiency, both Title VI protections and the PBNDS include language-access requirements. Under those standards, individuals with limited English proficiency must receive interpretation or language-access services during medical appointments and related care.<\/p>\n<p>Attorneys further claimed that similar medical and communication barriers contributed to the deterioration of Heydi\u2019s son\u2019s mental health, leaving him unable to communicate and largely unresponsive to his surroundings. The day after the press conference, MIRC stated that ICE informed them that Heydi\u2019s son had been transferred to a dedicated medical facility to receive additional care.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond medical and language protections, the standards also include guidelines related to due process and access to immigration hearings. ICE detention itself is intended to ensure individuals remain available to participate in their immigration cases. Yet, according to the complaint, individuals detained at North Lake have reportedly missed attorney meetings and court hearings because of facility-side delays, scheduling failures, or lack of notification. The complaint further alleges that one individual was ordered removed by a judge after failing to appear for a scheduled court hearing; the individual was being held at North Lake at the time of the missed hearing.<\/p>\n<p>During the press conference, a local priest also stated that he had recently been denied access to North Lake and was unable to meet with detained individuals inside the facility. His remarks raised additional concerns regarding religious access and clergy visitation, which are addressed within the PBNDS.<\/p>\n<p>Advocates say they are relying on public complaints and media attention to push for accountability regarding detention conditions because the U.S. Department of Homeland Security closed down the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, which previously investigated detention-related complaints.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement provided to La Prensa, The GEO Group, the private company that owns and operates North Lake, disputed the complaints raised during the press conference. GEO spokesperson Christopher Ferreira stated that the company \u201cstrongly disagrees with these allegations,\u201d describing them as part of \u201ca long-standing, politically motivated, and radical campaign to attack ICE\u2019s contractors, abolish ICE, and end federal immigration detention by proxy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He added that GEO facilities provide \u201caround-the-clock access to medical care, in-person and virtual legal and family visitation, general and legal library access, translation services, dietician-approved meals, religious and specialty diets, recreational amenities, and opportunities to practice their religious beliefs.\u201d GEO\u2019s ICE Processing Centers are accredited by the American Correctional Association, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, and are monitored by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure compliance with detention standards and contract requirements.<\/p>\n<p>Since the federal government increased immigration detention efforts in 2025, private detention corporations including The GEO Group and CoreCivic have reopened or activated multiple detention facilities. The GEO Group website states that the North Lake facility is expected to generate more than $85 million annually through its operations. In 2025, The GEO Group and CoreCivic collectively reported approximately $4.8 billion in revenue. A significant portion of that revenue comes from contracts with the U.S. federal government, including immigration detention and corrections operations.<\/p>\n<p>As detention operations expand, families like Heydi\u2019s face uncertainty regarding the well-being of detained loved ones. While Heydi\u2019s son remains unable to communicate, Heydi said she has been informed that he will likely be deported to Honduras. Her son is unfamiliar with the country and does not have friends or family there to support him.<\/p>\n<p>Readers can view the full May 13 press conference on YouTube by searching \u201cNorth Lake Press Conference.\u201d Information regarding North Lake Processing Center is available at https:\/\/www.geogroup.com\/facilities\/north-lake-processing-center\/<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mientras se expanden las operaciones de inmigraci\u00f3n, abogados expresan preocupaci\u00f3n por las condiciones de detenci\u00f3n.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Por Jessica Molina<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>El hijo de Heydi tuvo problemas de salud mental cuando era ni\u00f1o. Heydi describi\u00f3 a su hijo como un joven respetuoso y sociable. Ella record\u00f3 momentos caminando con \u00e9l, yendo a la playa y saliendo a restaurantes juntos.<\/p>\n<p>Pero desde diciembre de 2025, Heydi no ha podido comunicarse con su hijo. Su hijo fue detenido por ICE en noviembre de 2025 en North Lake Processing Center, un centro privado de detenci\u00f3n para inmigrantes que abri\u00f3 en Baldwin, Michigan en junio de 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Heydi es una de muchas madres y padres viviendo la realidad de la detenci\u00f3n migratoria. La detenci\u00f3n por ICE aument\u00f3 en 2025 despu\u00e9s del esfuerzo del gobierno federal para aumentar las operaciones de inmigraci\u00f3n. Datos recientes muestran que aproximadamente 60,311 personas han sido detenidas por ICE (TRAC Reports, abril 2026). El mismo reporte encontr\u00f3 que aproximadamente el 70.8% de las personas actualmente detenidas por ICE no tienen condenas criminales. Legalmente, la detenci\u00f3n migratoria es considerada un sistema civil, lo que significa que las personas detenidas no deben ser castigadas ni tratadas como criminales.<\/p>\n<p>Defensores y abogados relacionados con la detenci\u00f3n migratoria dicen que las condiciones actuales en North Lake no cumplen con los est\u00e1ndares de detenci\u00f3n civil. El 13 de mayo de 2026, el Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, la American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, un familiar y un l\u00edder religioso local realizaron una conferencia de prensa para anunciar una queja formal presentada ante la oficina de ICE en Detroit. Durante la conferencia, abogados y defensores hablaron sobre acusaciones de negligencia m\u00e9dica, problemas con el debido proceso, falta de servicios adecuados de idioma en North Lake y restricciones relacionadas con el acceso religioso.<\/p>\n<p>Los abogados acusaron a North Lake de violar los est\u00e1ndares de detenci\u00f3n de ICE y protecciones constitucionales que los centros de detenci\u00f3n deben seguir mientras operan bajo autoridad federal. Por ejemplo, los est\u00e1ndares requieren atenci\u00f3n m\u00e9dica adecuada para las personas detenidas.<\/p>\n<p>MIRC comparti\u00f3 acusaciones relacionadas con la muerte de una persona detenida en diciembre de 2025, casos de epilepsia sin tratamiento, retrasos en responder a posibles casos de c\u00e1ncer, presi\u00f3n alta sin controlar y convulsiones. La conferencia de prensa tambi\u00e9n incluy\u00f3 comentarios del Dr. Mark Stern, un m\u00e9dico correccional y ex experto en salud de detenci\u00f3n del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional. Stern dijo que, basado en las acusaciones y los registros m\u00e9dicos que revis\u00f3, ten\u00eda \u201cgraves preocupaciones\u201d sobre la seguridad de las personas detenidas en North Lake.<\/p>\n<p>En un ejemplo compartido durante la conferencia, abogados dijeron que una mujer detenida trat\u00f3 de avisar a oficiales sobre s\u00edntomas graves relacionados con el coraz\u00f3n se\u00f1alando su pecho mientras mostraba se\u00f1ales de dolor. Seg\u00fan los abogados, los oficiales respondieron burl\u00e1ndose de ella haciendo gestos de coraz\u00f3n en lugar de darle atenci\u00f3n m\u00e9dica inmediata. Los abogados tambi\u00e9n alegaron que ella fue ignorada por casi tres horas antes de desmayarse. Despu\u00e9s, su presi\u00f3n arterial fue registrada en 229\/134, mucho m\u00e1s alta de lo considerado una emergencia m\u00e9dica.<\/p>\n<p>Seg\u00fan defensores, este caso mostr\u00f3 preocupaciones m\u00e1s grandes sobre el tratamiento m\u00e9dico y los problemas de comunicaci\u00f3n dentro del centro. Debido a que muchas personas detenidas hablan poco ingl\u00e9s, los est\u00e1ndares federales requieren servicios de interpretaci\u00f3n y acceso al idioma durante citas m\u00e9dicas y otros servicios relacionados.<\/p>\n<p>Los abogados tambi\u00e9n dijeron que problemas parecidos de comunicaci\u00f3n y atenci\u00f3n m\u00e9dica contribuyeron al deterioro de la salud mental del hijo de Heydi, dej\u00e1ndolo sin poder comunicarse y casi sin responder a las personas a su alrededor. El d\u00eda despu\u00e9s de la conferencia, MIRC dijo que ICE les inform\u00f3 que el hijo de Heydi hab\u00eda sido transferido a una instalaci\u00f3n m\u00e9dica especializada para recibir atenci\u00f3n adicional.<\/p>\n<p>Adem\u00e1s de las protecciones m\u00e9dicas y de idioma, los est\u00e1ndares tambi\u00e9n incluyen reglas relacionadas con el debido proceso y acceso a audiencias de inmigraci\u00f3n. La detenci\u00f3n de ICE existe para asegurar que las personas puedan participar en sus casos de inmigraci\u00f3n. Sin embargo, seg\u00fan la queja, personas detenidas en North Lake han perdido reuniones con abogados y audiencias en la corte debido a retrasos del centro, errores de programaci\u00f3n o falta de notificaci\u00f3n. La queja tambi\u00e9n alega que una persona recibi\u00f3 una orden de deportaci\u00f3n despu\u00e9s de no presentarse a una audiencia programada mientras estaba detenida en North Lake.<\/p>\n<p>Durante la conferencia de prensa, un sacerdote local tambi\u00e9n dijo que recientemente le negaron acceso a North Lake y que no pudo reunirse con personas detenidas dentro del centro. Sus comentarios causaron m\u00e1s preocupaciones relacionadas con acceso religioso y visitas del clero, temas incluidos dentro de los est\u00e1ndares de ICE.<\/p>\n<p>Defensores dicen que ahora dependen m\u00e1s de denuncias p\u00fablicas y atenci\u00f3n de los medios para buscar responsabilidad sobre las condiciones dentro de los centros de detenci\u00f3n porque el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional cerr\u00f3 la Oficina del Ombudsman de Detenci\u00f3n Migratoria, la oficina que antes investigaba quejas relacionadas con detenci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n<p>En una declaraci\u00f3n enviada a La Prensa, The GEO Group neg\u00f3 las acusaciones presentadas durante la conferencia de prensa. El portavoz de GEO, Christopher Ferreira, dijo que la compa\u00f1\u00eda \u201cest\u00e1 en fuerte desacuerdo con estas acusaciones,\u201d y describi\u00f3 las denuncias como parte de \u201cuna campa\u00f1a radical y pol\u00edticamente motivada\u201d contra los contratistas de ICE.<\/p>\n<p>Tambi\u00e9n dijo que las instalaciones de GEO ofrecen \u201cacceso m\u00e9dico las 24 horas, visitas legales y familiares en persona y virtuales, servicios de traducci\u00f3n, comidas aprobadas por dietistas, dietas religiosas y especiales, \u00e1reas recreativas y oportunidades para practicar sus creencias religiosas.\u201d Los centros de procesamiento de ICE de GEO tambi\u00e9n son supervisados por ICE y el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional para asegurar que sigan los est\u00e1ndares requeridos.<\/p>\n<p>Desde que el gobierno federal aument\u00f3 los esfuerzos de detenci\u00f3n migratoria en 2025, compa\u00f1\u00edas privadas como The GEO Group y CoreCivic han reabierto o activado m\u00faltiples centros de detenci\u00f3n. El sitio web de GEO Group dice que North Lake espera generar m\u00e1s de $85 millones de d\u00f3lares al a\u00f1o. En 2025, GEO Group y CoreCivic reportaron aproximadamente $4.8 mil millones de d\u00f3lares en ingresos. Gran parte de ese dinero viene de contratos con el gobierno federal relacionados con detenci\u00f3n migratoria y operaciones correccionales.<\/p>\n<p>Mientras las operaciones de detenci\u00f3n contin\u00faan creciendo, familias como la de Heydi viven con preocupaci\u00f3n sobre el bienestar de sus seres queridos detenidos. Mientras su hijo sigue sin poder comunicarse, Heydi dijo que le informaron que probablemente ser\u00e1 deportado a Honduras. Su hijo no conoce bien el pa\u00eds y no tiene amigos ni familiares all\u00ed que puedan apoyarlo.<\/p>\n<p>La conferencia de prensa del 13 de mayo sobre North Lake est\u00e1 disponible p\u00fablicamente en YouTube bajo el nombre \u201cNorth Lake Press Conference.\u201d Informaci\u00f3n adicional sobre el centro est\u00e1 disponible en el sitio web de https:\/\/www.geogroup.com\/facilities\/north-lake-processing-center\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Jessica Molina Heydi\u2019s son experienced mental health challenges as a child. Heydi described her son as a well-mannered and socially engaged young man. She shared memories of going on walks, going to the beach, and going out to restaurants with him. Yet, since December 2025, Heydi has not been able to communicate with her<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":25838,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_rtcl_gb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"wf_post_folders":[312],"class_list":["post-25837","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"aioseo_notices":[],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina.jpg",700,418,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina.jpg",700,418,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina.jpg",700,418,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina-300x179.jpg",300,179,true],"large":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina.jpg",640,382,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina.jpg",700,418,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina.jpg",700,418,false],"rtcl-gallery":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina.jpg",700,418,false],"rtcl-thumbnail":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina-320x240.jpg",320,240,true],"rtcl-gallery-thumbnail":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina-150x105.jpg",150,105,true],"psacp-medium":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina-500x418.jpg",500,418,true],"rpwe-thumbnail":["https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/jessica-molina-45x45.jpg",45,45,true]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"LaPrensa Newspaper","author_link":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/author\/laprensa\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/category\/articles\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Articles<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"By Jessica Molina Heydi\u2019s son experienced mental health challenges as a child. Heydi described her son as a well-mannered and socially engaged young man. She shared memories of going on walks, going to the beach, and going out to restaurants with him. Yet, since December 2025, Heydi has not been able to communicate with her","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25837","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25837"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25837\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25839,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25837\/revisions\/25839"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25838"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25837"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25837"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25837"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=25837"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}