A federal court in Albuquerque, New Mexico, conducted the first hearing in the case of Carlos Doe v. ICE. The lawsuit challenges the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) decision to approve the Torrance County Detention Facility (TCDF) in 2022 after it had failed a performance evaluation in 2021. This certification allowed ICE to continue detaining individuals at TCDF despite allegations of dangerous conditions.

The plaintiffs, who were previously detained at TCDF, argue that ICE's administrative record is incomplete and that critical documents were omitted when certifying TCDF. Among these documents was a March 2022 alert from the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (OIG), which recommended immediate removal of detainees due to unsafe conditions. "Today’s hearing was about ensuring that the court has access to all the evidence ICE considered when it decided to keep detaining people at TCDF," said Mary Georgevich, Senior Litigation Attorney with the National Immigrant Justice Center.

In 2021, TCDF failed a key performance evaluation. If it had failed again in 2022, a congressional mandate would have required ICE to stop using the facility for detention purposes. Despite this, ICE gave TCDF a passing grade, allowing continued operation amid concerns over conditions affecting more than 500 detainees.

Rachel Landry from Innovation Law Lab emphasized: “No one should have to endure the unsafe and inhumane conditions that persist at TCDF." Meanwhile, Rebecca Sheff from the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico highlighted reports suggesting ICE may expand detention capacity at TCDF and stressed urgency for action: "It’s time to end immigration detention at TCDF for good."

The plaintiffs are represented by several organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP.