Detainees Allege Poor Medical Care at ICE Contractor Facilities

Measles outbreaks, lack of access to insulin and cancer treatment, and delayed emergency care reported at CoreCivic detention centers

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Detainees and lawyers have described unsanitary conditions, long waits for medical attention, and lack of access to critical medications and treatments at immigration detention facilities operated by the private prison company CoreCivic. Cases of measles have cropped up at two CoreCivic centers, and detainees have reported issues accessing insulin, cancer care, and timely emergency services. CoreCivic disputes the allegations, but an influx of detainees under the Trump administration has exacerbated problems with medical care at its facilities, according to legal records, inspection documents, and interviews.

Why it matters

The issues at CoreCivic's facilities highlight ongoing concerns about the quality of medical care provided to immigrants in detention, especially as the detainee population has surged under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The allegations raise questions about whether private prison companies are prioritizing profits over the health and safety of those in their custody.

The details

Detainees have reported hourslong waits to see a nurse, only to be turned away; delays in getting X-rays, insulin, and access to specialists; and rapid spread of illnesses due to unsanitary conditions. In some cases, children with severe symptoms were denied care until their condition worsened. Several detainees have required hospitalization for issues like low blood oxygen levels and uncontrolled bleeding. A 32-year-old man with diabetes and other health problems died at a CoreCivic facility after being detained there for about three weeks.

  • Last month, measles outbreaks occurred at CoreCivic detention centers in Arizona and Texas.
  • In February 2024, a nurse at a CoreCivic facility in San Diego sued the company for wrongful termination after raising concerns about medical care.
  • In August 2025, a 32-year-old detainee named Lorenzo Antonio Batrez Vargas died at CoreCivic's Florence facility.

The players

CoreCivic

A publicly traded detention company that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since President Trump took office. CoreCivic has faced accusations of providing substandard medical care and falsifying records to disguise unsafe conditions at its facilities.

Lorenzo Antonio Batrez Vargas

A 32-year-old detainee who died at CoreCivic's Florence facility in August 2025. Vargas had multiple health problems, including diabetes and a foot wound, and contracted COVID-19 while in detention.

Laura St. John

The legal director of the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, a group that represents people in detention. St. John said the organization is seeing a dramatic increase in detainees with serious medical conditions.

Faisal Al-Juburi

The co-CEO of the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (Raices), which represents immigrant and refugee families in Texas. Al-Juburi said Raices has logged more than 1,000 complaints of poor medical care at the Dilley detention facility.

Elora Mukherjee

An immigration lawyer who represents families at the Dilley detention facility. Mukherjee said her clients are constantly sick with coughs, fevers, and other ailments.

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What they’re saying

“We are seeing a dramatic increase in people who are being detained despite serious medical conditions.”

— Laura St. John, Legal director, Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project

“They are coughing, they have fevers, they are not feeling well.”

— Elora Mukherjee, Immigration lawyer

“Nothing matters more to CoreCivic than the health and safety of the people in our care.”

— Steven Owen, Spokesperson, CoreCivic (sanluisobispo.com)

What’s next

The judge in the class-action lawsuit against ICE regarding the California detention facility is expected to rule on the requirement for an independent monitor and timely access to medications.

The takeaway

The allegations of substandard medical care at CoreCivic's immigration detention facilities raise serious concerns about the company's prioritization of profits over the wellbeing of detainees, especially as the detainee population has surged under the Trump administration's immigration policies. This case highlights the need for robust oversight and accountability measures to ensure that all immigrants in detention receive adequate and humane medical treatment.