In a decisive move responding to mounting concerns over detainee treatment, U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman issued a sweeping emergency restraining order on November 5, 2025, mandating immediate improvements at the Broadview U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility, just outside Chicago. The order, effective for two weeks and set for review on November 19, comes after an outpouring of harrowing testimony from current and former detainees and their advocates, who described conditions inside the facility as squalid, overcrowded, and inhumane.
For months, Broadview has drawn scrutiny from lawyers, relatives, faith leaders, and members of Congress, all raising alarms about what they call a de facto detention center operating under the guise of a short-term processing site. Tensions have boiled over into regular demonstrations outside the facility, with protesters and journalists alike reporting aggressive tactics from federal agents. But it was the voices of those held inside—some for days, others for weeks—that ultimately tipped the scales in court.
"People shouldn’t be sleeping next to overflowing toilets," Judge Gettleman declared from the bench, his voice carrying a mix of disbelief and outrage. "They should not be sleeping on top of each other. They shouldn’t be sleeping in plastic chairs. They shouldn’t be sleeping on concrete floors." According to Capitol News Illinois, the judge found the witnesses who testified the previous day "highly credible," and described the alleged conditions as "unnecessarily cruel." The comparison to a World War II concentration camp, particularly regarding the lack of working showers, underscored the gravity of the situation.
The temporary restraining order lays out a comprehensive list of requirements for ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Detainees held overnight must now be provided with clean bedding mats and sufficient space to sleep. Each holding room is to be cleaned at least twice daily and equipped with a clock displaying the time and date. Basic hygiene—previously described as almost nonexistent—must be restored: detainees are to receive soap, towels, toilet paper, oral hygiene products, and menstrual supplies for women. Showers are mandated at least every other day, and clean toilet facilities are required at all times.
Nutrition and hydration, too, are at the forefront of the order. Detainees must receive three full meals per day that meet U.S. recommended dietary allowances, along with bottled water with every meal and upon request, free of charge. Those who arrived with prescribed medications, or whose family or counsel drop off necessary drugs, must be given access to these medications—with appropriate storage provided.
Crucially, the order addresses the right to legal counsel. Detainees are to be provided with private, cost-free telephone access to communicate with their lawyers, and ICE must ensure that attorney-client privilege is protected. Upon arrival, or as soon as possible, detainees must receive a list of pro bono attorneys in both English and Spanish, with interpreter services offered as needed. The order also requires that all detainees be accurately listed on ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System, a move intended to help families and legal representatives locate their loved ones.
In a pointed rebuke to past practices, the judge ordered that agents must not misrepresent the contents of any papers given to detainees and must provide Spanish translations, along with reasonable time for detainees to read and understand any documents. This comes after multiple former detainees testified to being pressured or deceived into signing voluntary deportation forms, often under duress or without understanding the paperwork. "They cannot slip in a form written in a language somebody doesn’t understand and then all of a sudden the person gets whisked out of the country," Alexa Van Brunt of the MacArthur Justice Center told the Associated Press. "That coercion has got to stop."
The government, for its part, argued that Broadview’s cells are cleaned daily and that detainees receive meals, water, and access to medical care. In court, Assistant U.S. State’s Attorney Jana Brady blamed the Illinois TRUST Act for the overcrowding, claiming, "Illinois is unique because it has laws to prevent holding detainees. We can’t transfer them to other county or state facilities." She further asserted that granting the restraining order "would halt the government’s ability to enforce immigration laws in Illinois." However, the judge and plaintiffs’ attorneys countered that constitutional minimums for humane treatment must be maintained, regardless of logistical or legal hurdles.
The real-life impact of these conditions was laid bare in testimony. Pablo Moreno Gonzalez, a 56-year-old Mexican national, broke down on the witness stand as he described sleeping in a plastic chair or on the cold floor, unable to rest more than a few minutes at a time due to bright lights and extreme crowding. Another plaintiff, Felipe Agustin Zamacona, recounted being told by an agent that he needed to sign "court papers"—which turned out to be self-deportation forms. Claudia Carolina Pereira Guevara, testifying remotely from Honduras, said her request to speak with a lawyer was denied, and that she signed a voluntary deportation form believing she would be held indefinitely otherwise. She is now separated from her two children, who remain in Illinois.
Attorneys representing the detainees have also sought a rare window into Broadview’s inner workings, requesting documents on detention policies, logs, and records of food, water, and medication purchases. They hope this document-gathering phase will shed further light on the facility’s operations and compliance—or lack thereof—with federal standards.
Meanwhile, outside the facility, legal battles continue over the conduct of federal agents during protests. Senior Border Patrol official Greg Bovino has defended the use of force, including pepper balls and tear gas, against demonstrators, while witnesses and local officials allege that agents have been unnecessarily aggressive. U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis has already ordered agents to wear badges and banned certain riot-control techniques, adding a requirement for body cameras after repeated violations of her orders. The issue remains contentious, with both sides trading allegations of misconduct and threats.
As the November 19 status hearing approaches, the Broadview case stands as a stark reminder of the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement, detainee rights, and the responsibilities of federal agencies. The emergency order not only forces immediate changes at one facility but also shines a light on broader systemic issues—issues that, for many detainees and their families, have life-altering consequences.
With the judge’s order now in effect, all eyes are on Broadview and ICE to see whether these mandated improvements will bring lasting change—or if further legal battles lie ahead.
