A Democrat-appointed federal judge in Manhattan issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday requiring that Immigration and Customs Enforcement immediately improve conditions at its processing facility in New York City.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, appointed by former President Bill Clinton in 1994, ruled that ICE must maintain a space of at least 50 square feet per detainee; provide a clean bedding mat and a safe place for sleeping; ensure that detainees are given nutritious meals, medications, and other necessities; and allow them to make private calls to their attorneys.
The ruling was the result of a class-action lawsuit filed by Sergio Alberto Barco Mercado, a Peruvian national who entered the U.S. illegally in July 2022 and lives in New Jersey. Barco Mercado was arrested by ICE on Friday as he was leaving immigration court, where he was facing deportation proceedings and applying for asylum after being charged with entering the country illegally. He was held until Sunday, when he alleged inhumane conditions persisted inside.
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