The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), in coordination with the MacArthur Justice Center and a private law firm, filed a lawsuit against the federal administration for allegedly allowing the rights of detained immigrants to be violated in The Broadview Immigration Detention Center, located near Chicago The complaint alleges that, when deprived of their liberty, undocumented immigrants are exposed for days to unsanitary and unsafe conditions. The facility in question is allegedly not equipped for detainees to remain for extended periods and lacks medical services, sufficient food, water, or hygiene products. Apparently, they only receive two or three cold sandwiches throughout the day.

Another point to highlight is that the immigrants are forced to stand during the nights, due to the cramped conditions of the four small detention cells, which are usually overcrowded, making it difficult to find a place to sleep, always accompanied by artificial light, which could be considered psychological abuse.

However, perhaps the most serious issue is the immigrants' inability to communicate with their families or a lawyer to advise them on their legal situation.

“By preventing access to the detainees inside Broadview, the defendants have created a black box where they make people disappear from the United States justice and immigration systems,” the lawsuit states.

It is even highlighted that some people are pressured to sign documents waiving their rights and agreeing to be deported to their countries of origin without being presented before an immigration judge.

In this regard, Alexa Van Brunt, in a statement, director of the MacArthur Justice Center office in Illinois – The letter alerted people at risk of being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to assert their rights. “Every person, regardless of their legal status, has the right to access an attorney and not be subjected to horrific and inhumane conditions,” the letter states. So far, no government official has commented on the ongoing lawsuit.