Hunger Strike Continues at Michigan Immigration Detention Center
Hundreds of immigrants at Michigan’s largest ICE detention center are refusing meals in protest of alleged medical neglect and unsafe conditions.
BALDWIN, MICHIGAN — Hundreds of immigrants detained at Michigan’s largest ICE facility continued a hunger strike Wednesday, protesting what advocates describe as medical neglect, unsafe conditions, and prolonged legal delays at the North Lake Processing Center.
The strike, which began Monday, involves detainees at the privately operated immigration facility in Baldwin, according to the advocacy group No Detention Centers in Michigan. The North Lake facility is the largest immigration detention center in the Midwest and is operated by GEO Group, a private prison company that runs multiple immigration detention centers nationwide.
Detainee Describes Harsh Conditions
Ahmad Alnajdawi of Jordan, one of the striking detainees, shared a message through advocates describing the difficulties faced by those held at the facility. Language barriers prevent many detainees from communicating with staff or immigration officials, he said.
“We have no answers to our questions, and everyone here has questions. I have a lot of people here who speak Arabic, and this is very hard for them,” Alnajdawi said. “They cannot talk to the case managers; they cannot talk to ICE officers; they cannot talk to anyone. The food here is pitiful. I want the people outside to know, they’re treating us like animals.”
Federal Officials Deny Strike
When asked about the situation at the detention center, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security denied that a hunger strike was taking place. The unidentified spokesperson noted that officials continue to provide detainees three meals a day as well as an “adequate supply of drinking water or other beverages.”
The DHS spokesperson also denied there were “subprime conditions” at the North Lake facility, claiming that certified dieticians evaluate the food service. However, advocacy groups maintain that the strike reflects ongoing problems at the facility that have persisted despite previous complaints and inspections.
Advocacy Groups Support Detainees
No Detention Centers in Michigan has been documenting conditions at the facility and sharing messages from detainees with the public. The group says the current hunger strike represents a desperate attempt by detainees to draw attention to their treatment and demand improvements in their conditions.
The facility has faced scrutiny in the past over conditions and treatment of detainees. Private prison companies like GEO Group have come under increased criticism from immigrant rights advocates who argue that profit motives can lead to cost-cutting measures that compromise safety and basic services for those in detention.
The hunger strike comes as immigration enforcement continues under federal policies, with facilities like North Lake housing individuals awaiting deportation proceedings or other immigration court hearings. Language barriers and limited access to legal representation often complicate cases for detainees, many of whom remain in custody for extended periods while their cases work through the immigration court system.
