US immigration facilities, often referred to as 'detention centers', are increasingly being described as 'camps' by a journalist with a decade of experience reporting on immigration enforcement. John Washington argues that the term 'camp' more accurately reflects the political function and conditions within these facilities.
Currently, over 65,000 individuals are reportedly confined in these facilities, often in conditions described as demeaning, dangerous, and sometimes torturous. These individuals are held not for committing a crime, but for the civil infraction of being on the wrong side of a border.
Since the second Trump administration took office, at least 52 people have died in ICE custody. Additionally, tens of thousands of individuals have been subjected to solitary confinement within these facilities. The article highlights concerns about gutted oversight mechanisms and limited access to legal counsel, loved ones, nutritious food, sunlight, or medical care.