Jan. 27, 2026, 11:24 a.m. PTDetainees have filed a federal lawsuit against the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, citing inhumane and unsanitary conditions.The lawsuit alleges denial of basic necessities, including medical care and adequate nutrition, and excessive use of solitary confinement.A group of detainees inside the Adelanto ICE Processing Center has filed a sweeping federal lawsuit alleging “cruel, inhumane and degrading” conditions at the High Desert detention complex — claims that echo scrutiny from federal investigators, disability advocates, and California lawmakers.The complaint, made public Jan. 26, outlines a detention system that the plaintiffs say denies basic necessities such as medical care, outdoor access, adequate nutrition, and safe housing. Four of the named plaintiffs still live inside Adelanto. Two detainees have died there in recent months.Here's what to know about the lawsuit.What the lawsuit says is happening inside AdelantoThe lawsuit, filed by Public Counsel, CHIRLA, Immigrant Defenders Law Center, and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, alleges that people detained at Adelanto are routinely denied:Consistent medical and mental health careAccess to fresh air and outdoor spaceProper nutrition and sanitary living conditionsProtection from excessive and punitive solitary confinementPlaintiffs describe a system where chronic illnesses go untreated, people with disabilities receive no accommodations, and medical care is delayed to the point of danger.Advocates argue this is not just a question of substandard conditions — it’s a constitutional violation.“The Constitution does not allow the government to cage people in conditions that cause serious injury, worsening illness and lasting trauma,” said Public Counsel Supervising Attorney Rebecca Brown.Response from the Trump AdministrationThe Trump administration has not commented specifically on the Adelanto lawsuit but has consistently defended its broader immigration‑enforcement strategy, which has expanded detention nationwide.In related court filings, Justice Department attorneys argued that judicial intervention would “unduly interfere with federal immigration enforcement” and that states cannot veto federal custody decisions.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has publicly defended these operations, saying court‑imposed limits as “a little ridiculous."Who the plaintiffs are — and what they say they’ve experiencedThe lawsuit includes four individuals currently detained at the center. Each describes long-term health conditions that they say have worsened inside Adelanto.L.T.: Santa Ana Resident with Untreated Stroke Symptom: L.T., 61, needs multiple daily medications to manage diabetes and high blood pressure. He says doses often arrive late. His mobility and speech remain impaired from a stroke three years ago — issues he says Adelanto medical staff have ignored. He also has sleep apnea, but his request for a CPAP machine was denied.Sevak Mesrobian: Epileptic Detainee Alleging Dangerous Treatment: Mesrobian, a Glendale resident held since July 2025, says he does not consistently receive the medication needed to prevent seizures. After several seizures, the inexperienced staff allegedly forced him to walk, causing repeated falls and head injuries. During a hospitalization, he was handcuffed by the arm and leg to a bed for five days.Jose Mauro Salazar Garza: Infection Left Untreated for Months: Salazar Garza, detained for about a year, says medical staff ignored a severe infection resulting from a 2024 assault in which another detainee bit off part of his finger. The untreated wound eventually burst on its own, releasing black pus. He still suffers pain and fears another infection.J.M.: Heart Condition Complicated by Solitary Confinement: After an outside cardiologist ordered heart monitoring, J.M. says Adelanto staff required him to be placed in medical solitary confinement to use the monitor. He lasted five days before asking to return without it, fearing the psychological toll. He worries daily about whether medical staff could respond in time during a cardiac episode.Recent deaths at Adelanto ICE Processing CenterTwo detainees at Adelanto died in the fall of 2025:Ismael Ayala-Uribe, 39, died on Sept. 22.Gabriel Garcia-Aviles, 56, died on Oct. 23 after roughly a week in custody.Both deaths remain under investigation. Advocates point to them as evidence of a chronic medical crisis inside the facility.Why Adelanto has faced oversight questions for yearsAdelanto, run by private prison company GEO Group, has drawn scrutiny for more than a decade. In 2018, a Department of Homeland Security watchdog report found:Nooses in cellsOverly restrictive segregationInadequate medical careIn 2025, multiple California members of Congress — including Reps. Judy Chu and Linda Sánchez — conducted a site visit after major immigration raids in Los Angeles pushed the population from three detainees to 1,200 almost overnight.Lawmakers reported that people went 10 days without clean clothing, were unfed for hours after arrival, and had no access to phones or attorneys for a week.One longtime staff member, cited in the lawsuit, warned that the sudden population spike in 2025 was “dangerous."How much money is at stake — and why it mattersThe Adelanto facility can hold 1,940 detainees, making it one of the largest immigration detention centers in the United States.According to the lawsuit:GEO Group earns roughly $85 million a year on the contract.Full capacity could mean another $31 million annually.ICE guarantees payment for at least 640 beds, whether filled or not.Advocates argue this creates a financial incentive to keep people detained rather than safe.What comes next in the lawsuitThe plaintiffs are seeking class-action status for all current Adelanto detainees. If successful, it could force significant changes to medical care, living conditions, and the use of solitary confinement at the facility.Advocates say the case is ultimately about accountability in a system that operates far from public view.“No one, regardless of immigration status, should be subjected to these conditions,” Brown said.As investigations continue into the recent deaths and the facility’s treatment practices, the lawsuit could become one of the most consequential immigration detention cases in California in years.McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@usatodayco.com.