Key facts
- Detainees at the Adams County ICE facility in Mississippi allege a gas leak occurred, causing illness.
- A power outage at the facility left it without air conditioning for two days.
- Detainees claim they were denied medical care after experiencing symptoms like headaches.
- The facility, run by CoreCivic, had its rating downgraded after an inspection found 23 violations.
- CoreCivic disputes the gas leak allegations, stating no leak was detected by staff, and denies that medical care was refused.
Detainees at a federal immigration detention center in Mississippi, operated by CoreCivic, have alleged they were sickened by a gas leak and subsequently denied medical care. The allegations surfaced amid a two-day power outage that left the Adams County facility without air conditioning, forcing detainees into extreme heat and sweltering cells, according to one detainee who spoke to The Guardian.
Tensions are reportedly rising within the overcrowded facility, with increased arguments and physical altercations among detainees, who fear escalating violence due to inadequate staffing. The gas leak is said to have occurred last Saturday, with detainees evacuated into the heat for hours, and some experiencing headaches and symptoms consistent with gas inhalation upon returning to the facility, which allegedly still smelled of gas.
Adding to the concerns, the facility's rating was downgraded from superior to acceptable/adequate this year following an ICE Office of Detention Oversight inspection in May that found 23 violations related to use-of-force or restraint standards. This follows a 2021 inspection that also identified violations threatening detainee health, safety, and rights.
CoreCivic has disputed the allegations, with spokesperson Ryan Gustin stating that staff did not detect any gas leak and that no detainee was refused medical treatment. Gustin also asserted that emergency generators functioned properly during the power outage caused by a storm on Monday, and that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems were not interrupted. He stated the company is committed to providing safe and humane care.
The Workers Circle, a social justice organization, expressed alarm at the reported conditions and called for a thorough investigation and accountability.