US Congressman Ro Khanna said he was “horrified” after visiting the California City ICE Detention Facility. He spoke to 47 detainees on January 5, who told him about poor medical care, bad food, and degrading living conditions. Khanna said the centre, located in the Mojave Desert, showed a clear “violation of human rights.” Khanna described conversations where one man had blood in his urine but no doctor visit, another complained of rocks in his food, and some shivered at night without proper clothing. He called the treatment “systemic neglect.” “We’re treating these people like animals, not like human beings … It’s an embarrassment for the country,” said Khanna. He stressed, “Whatever you think about the consequences for people who are undocumented, we should all agree that you treat people with dignity.” The detention centre opened in late August 2023 and is privately run by CoreCivic under a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contract. It currently houses about 1,400 detainees, including 215 women, and aims to be California’s largest ICE facility with room for nearly 26,000 people. Khanna also visited the centre’s medical area and found only one doctor attending nearly 40 patients. Detainees reported undrinkable water, repeated lockdowns, no-contact family visits, and long delays in medical care. Many detainees were in tears during his visit. CoreCivic rejected the neglect claims, stating that health and safety are top priorities and that detainees have daily access to medical and mental health services. Khanna’s visit comes amid a surge in ICE detentions, with about 69,000 people in custody as of December 2024, the highest in ICE history. Detention-related deaths have also risen, with 32 reported in 2025, marking the worst toll in over 20 years.