ICE implements mobile detention in Pennsylvania and faces court orders in New York

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is implementing new detention tactics in Pennsylvania using mobile detention centers consisting of specialized vans. These vehicles are intended to follow agents during raids to expand custody capacity and reduce travel time. While government documents state that women may be held in these units for a maximum of 10 continuous hours, the regulations do not specify standards for food, hygiene, or sanitation services.

In a separate legal development in New York, a federal judge has made permanent protections for detainees at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ruled that ICE must provide at least 50 square feet of space per person, regular meals, hygiene products, and confidential access to legal counsel. The ruling follows findings that ICE used overcrowded temporary cells to deprive detainees of sleep, food, and medical care, allegedly to pressure individuals into accepting voluntary deportation.