ICE Detention Center Under Fire

The California City Detention Facility in Kern County is under growing scrutiny after detainees filed a federal lawsuit alleging inhumane conditions and U.S. senators reported serious concerns following an oversight visit.

The facility, a former state prison in the Mojave Desert, is now the largest immigration detention center in California. Operated under contract for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, it holds people awaiting civil immigration proceedings.

In November 2025, detainees filed a federal class-action lawsuit against ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, alleging unsafe and punitive conditions. The complaint claims detainees face unsanitary living spaces, extreme cold, inadequate food and water, and repeated failures to provide timely medical care. People with chronic illnesses, including diabetes and heart conditions, are said to have experienced delayed treatment and missed medications. The lawsuit also alleges excessive lockdowns, limited access to attorneys, and failure to accommodate disabilities and religious practices.

Federal officials deny the allegations, saying the California City Detention Facility meets detention standards and provides medical care, meals, and access to legal counsel.

Concerns intensified after U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff toured the California City Detention Facility in January. Both senators said they were alarmed by detainees’ accounts, particularly regarding healthcare. Schiff cited reports of detainees going months without proper treatment for serious medical conditions, while Padilla said he left the visit more concerned than when he arrived.

The senators emphasized that civil immigration detention should not endanger health or resemble punitive incarceration. The lawsuit remains pending in federal court, placing the California City Detention Facility at the center of a broader debate over immigration detention standards and accountability.