Migrants Face Dire Conditions, Prolonged Waits in US Detention Centers

Asylum seekers report worms in food, overflowing sewage, and lengthy detentions without seeing a judge

Feb. 9, 2026 at 5:31pm

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The number of people in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention has topped 70,000 for the first time, with many migrants facing dire conditions and prolonged waits to see an immigration judge. Asylum seekers like Felipe Hernandez Espinosa have reported issues like worms in food, non-functioning toilets, and insect infestations at detention centers. Some, like Hernandez, have been held for over six months without a hearing, leading them to give up on their asylum claims and request deportation.

Why it matters

The surge in ICE detentions and reports of poor conditions at detention centers raise concerns about the treatment of migrants and the backlog in the immigration court system. Critics argue the prolonged detentions violate legal precedents and human rights, while the Trump administration defends the policies as following the law.

The details

Hernandez, a 34-year-old Nicaraguan asylum seeker, has been held at an ICE detention camp at the Fort Bliss Army base in Texas for the past five months, where two migrants died in January. He says he has asked to be returned to Nicaragua multiple times but was told he must see a judge, with his hearing now scheduled for February 26 - nearly seven months after his initial detention. Other migrants, like a Chinese man held over a year without seeing a judge, have also reported being unable to leave detention despite wanting deportation.

  • Hernandez was arrested in July 2025 on a lunch break from his job in South Florida.
  • Hernandez's wife was detained with him but allowed to return to Nicaragua without a formal deportation order on August 28, 2025.
  • Hernandez's October 9, 2025 hearing was abruptly canceled without explanation.
  • Hernandez learned of his new hearing date in early February 2026.
  • The number of people in ICE detention topped 70,000 for the first time in early 2026.

The players

Felipe Hernandez Espinosa

A 34-year-old Nicaraguan asylum seeker who has been detained at an ICE facility in Texas for the past five months.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal law enforcement agency responsible for immigration detention and deportation.

Ana Alicia Huerta

A senior attorney at the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice who offers free legal advice to detainees.

Sui Chung

The executive director at Americans for Immigrant Justice.

Sarah Houston

The managing attorney at Immigrant Defenders Law Center.

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What they’re saying

“I came to this country thinking they would help me, and I've been detained for six months without having committed a crime. It is been too long. I am desperate.”

— Felipe Hernandez Espinosa

“All are telling me: 'I don't understand why I'm here. I'm ready to be deported.'”

— Ana Alicia Huerta, Senior Attorney, California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice

“The conditions are so poor and so bad that people say, 'I'm going to give up'.”

— Sui Chung, Executive Director, Americans for Immigrant Justice

“They're just holding these people indefinitely. We're seeing people who actually win their immigration cases just languishing in jail.”

— Sarah Houston, Managing Attorney, Immigrant Defenders Law Center

What’s next

The judge in Hernandez's case will decide on February 26 whether to allow him to be deported or continue his detention.

The takeaway

The surge in ICE detentions and poor conditions at detention centers highlight the urgent need to address the backlog in the immigration court system and ensure humane treatment of migrants, even those facing deportation. This crisis raises questions about the balance between immigration enforcement and upholding human rights and due process.