A new California state report found worsening conditions inside U.S. immigration detention facilities, including widespread failures in medical care, reports of hunger, and invasive strip searches, as detainee populations surged and facilities struggled to cope.The annual review by the California Department of Justice said detention centers were increasingly “overwhelmed” and violating federal standards as numbers spiked, according to the report.The findings are based on inspections of seven Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities across the state.Inspectors found widespread violations of ICE detention standards across facilities, particularly in healthcare, with detainees reporting delays in treatment, missed referrals and difficulty accessing routine care, while food-related concerns were also reported at sites including Golden State and Mesa Verde, where detainees described insufficient portions and reliance on commissary purchases to avoid hunger; at the same time, overcrowding and staffing shortages at Adelanto, Desert View and California City contributed to breakdowns in intake processing, living conditions and supervision, according to the report.“This is cruel, inhumane, and unacceptable — and it is past time for the Trump Administration to do something about it," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a press release.The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, pushed back strongly on the findings.“No lawbreakers in the history of human civilization have been treated better than illegal aliens in the United States," an agency spokesperson told Newsweek....Why It MattersThe review represents one of the few independent oversight efforts examining ICE detention conditions, coming at a time when facilities are managing their highest populations in recent years. Across all facilities, the report ties deteriorating conditions to a surge in detention levels. The detained population in California facilities grew approximately 162 percent between 2023 and 2025, placing pressure on staff, infrastructure, and services, according to the report. The number of people held in ICE detention in California reached 6,028 during state inspections in 2025, up from 2,303 in 2023, while the number of female detainees rose to 626 from 170, marking a roughly 268 percent increase, according to the California Department of Justice report.What To KnowAt the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, operated by CoreCivic, inspectors highlighted strip search practices after visits as a major concern. The report states the policy of strip searching detainees after non-legal contact visits had “an overwhelming negative impact on the mental health and dignity of detainees,” with detainees describing the experience as “humiliating” and “denigrating,” according to the report....Newsweek has previously revealed multiple allegations of abuse and neglect at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, including claims of sexual assault, chronic understaffing, and inadequate medical care. The facility has also been described as having a “pattern of medical neglect,” with detainees allegedly waiting weeks for appointments and, in some cases, being forced to pay for basic sanitation products.At the Golden State Annex in McFarland, run by GEO Group, detainees reported persistent hunger and poor food quality. Inspectors found some were spending about $50 per week—and in some cases up to $100—on commissary items such as instant noodles, soups, and tuna “to satisfy their hunger,” according to the report....At the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield, also operated by GEO Group, detainees described food as “bad,” citing small portions and meals that caused illness, while inspectors found delays in medical screening and access to care following a sharp influx of detainees, according to the report.At the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, the largest facility in the state with a capacity of 1,940, inspectors said conditions worsened rapidly as detainee numbers surged from seven in 2023 to more than 1,500 in 2025. Detainees reported delays in medical treatment, lack of adequate water and food issues, and the facility was linked to multiple deaths during the review period, according to the report.The nearby Desert View Annex, which shares staff and operations with Adelanto, experienced similar strain from population growth. Detainees reported delays in care, inconsistent intake processing, and inadequate living conditions, the report says.At the Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico, operated by Management & Training Corporation, inspectors noted somewhat improved staffing compared with earlier visits, but still identified issues, including delays in specialist care and detainee deaths linked to medical conditions during the review period, per the report....The California City Detention Facility, operated by CoreCivic and the newest site reviewed, drew particular scrutiny. Inspectors found the facility “opened prematurely” and was “not ready to accept detainees,” citing inadequate staffing, restricted visitation, and conditions detainees described as prison-like, according to the report.Detainees held in California ICE facilities came from a wide range of countries, led by Mexico with 1,225 detainees, followed by India with 476 and Guatemala with 419. Other major groups included those from El Salvador, China, Russia, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela and Honduras, alongside smaller populations from countries such as Vietnam, Iran, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Peru, Armenia, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Nepal and Turkey.“The Trump Administration’s mass deportation campaign has led to a shocking increase in detainee populations — and facilities have been alarmingly unprepared to meet this new demand. During their inspections, my team found evidence of inadequate medical care and heard countless reports of disturbing, unsafe, and unsanitary conditions and a lack of basic necessities,” Bonta said.DHS said that “It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody,” including intake screening within 12 hours, a full health assessment within 14 days, and access to medical and emergency care. DHS also said, “Meals are certified by dieticians,” and emphasized that “Ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE.”The report also documented six detainee deaths between September 2025 and March 2026—four at Adelanto and two at Imperial—raising concerns about facilities’ capacity to handle medical needs amid increased populations.Under the second Trump administration, there have been at least 50 deaths involving people in ICE custody, according to Andrew Free, a lawyer and researcher who documents fatalities in DHS custody.“The escalating pace of deaths in ICE detention highlights an underlying crisis of conditions facing people inside,” Free previously told Newsweek. “The government’s refusal to acknowledge the crisis means it’s only going to get worse, and more will die entirely preventable deaths.” The report concludes that the expansion of detention without adequate preparation has produced “unacceptable outcomes,” warning that continued noncompliance with standards could lead to “dire human and legal consequences,” according to the report.