The Department of Homeland Security on Monday ripped a media report as "fake news" that alleged illegal immigrants in overcapacity detention centers are going hungry because of food shortages.
An unnamed former Immigration and Customs Enforcement official told NBC News in a story published Monday that it's difficult for a detention facility to stay stocked with the right amount of food when it might face an unexpected surge of new detainees.
"FAKE NEWS!" DHS wrote in a post on X. "Any claim that there is a lack of food or subprime conditions at ICE detention centers are FALSE. All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers.
"Meals are certified by dieticians. Ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE."
Reports of poor conditions at ICE facilities are becoming a common theme in the mainstream media, with The New York Times reporting June 28 that the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration is straining the nation's detention facilities. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act provides $45 billion for ICE detention centers and reportedly could lead to an additional 116,000 to 125,000 beds, slightly below the 131,000 U.S. citizens in federal prisons, according to U.S. Sentencing Commission data.
DHS posted, "ICE actually has higher detention quality standards than most US detention spaces that hold actual US citizens. Despite a historic number of injunctions, DHS is working rapidly, overtime to remove these illegal aliens from detentions centers to their final destination: home."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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