Torture Behind Closed Doors: ICE’s Shameful Force-Feeding Practices

Recent revelations about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) force-feeding detainees in immigration centers are a stark reminder of the systemic cruelty unfolding behind closed doors. An investigation by The Guardian into 10 cases since Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025 has exposed a disturbing pattern of ICE disregarding the basic human rights of its detainees.

These incidents are not isolated; they’re part of a broader trend of ICE attempting to break hunger strikers through involuntary medical procedures. Force-feeding is a form of psychological torture, designed to crush the will and dignity of those who challenge their confinement conditions.

A particularly egregious case involves an Afghan man being force-fed for nearly six months in Texas. He was subjected to repeated nasogastric tube insertions under restraint, a painful procedure that can cause long-term damage to his esophagus and stomach. His lack of adequate medical attention or access to a lawyer during this period is unconscionable.

Federal judges have played a concerning role in rubber-stamping force-feeding orders without due process. In six cases reviewed, detained immigrants did not have legal representation during court proceedings, preventing them from contesting the order or seeking alternative solutions.

Force-feeding is both a physical and psychological assault on detainees. Hunger striking is an act of desperation, as Dr. Kate Sugarman notes, a last resort for those with no other means to protest their situation. By subjecting them to force-feeding, ICE tells these individuals that their voice, dignity, and humanity are worthless.

The involvement of medical professionals in this process is alarming. While some doctors may believe force-feeding is “medically necessary,” the vast majority of medical organizations have condemned it as a form of torture. The fact that medical staff participate in these procedures speaks volumes about the normalization of human rights abuses within our detention system.

As ICE continues to detain immigrants nationwide, this pattern of abuse will persist unless drastic action is taken. The Department of Homeland Security and its ICE agency must be held accountable for these atrocities, and Congress must take immediate steps to reform the immigration detention system.

This is not just a matter of policy; it’s also about our collective humanity. We have a responsibility to protect the most vulnerable among us, even when confined behind bars. By turning a blind eye to ICE’s force-feeding practices, we risk becoming complicit in these human rights abuses.

We must fundamentally rethink how we approach immigration detention and the treatment of those held within our borders. Hunger striking should not be seen as a last resort but as a viable form of protest respected and acknowledged. Those responsible for these abuses, including federal judges who rubber-stamp force-feeding orders without due process, must be held accountable.

It’s time to confront the reality of torture and abuse happening behind closed doors for far too long. This is not just about ICE or its policies; it’s about us – our values, principles, and commitment to human rights. We must choose which side we are on: with those fighting for their basic dignity and humanity or with those seeking to crush them beneath the weight of oppression.

The choice is ours, and it’s time to make it clear that torture behind closed doors will no longer be tolerated in our name.