LOS ANGELES (LN) — California Attorney General Rob Bonta released a report Friday finding that immigrant detention centers in the state failed to meet basic standards for medical care, food, and safety amid a 162% surge population.
The California Department of Justice report, based on 2025 inspections of seven active centers, concluded that conditions had "considerably worsened" as the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign led to severe overcrowding and resource shortages.
Six detainees died between September 2025 and March 2026, the highest number since the DOJ began inspections in 2017.
Bonta said the mass deportation campaign resulted in a "shocking increase" population and that centers were "very unprepared" to meet the new demand for resources. He described the conditions as "cruel, inhumane and unacceptable" and urged the Trump administration to act.
The DOJ found that the detained population grew from 2,303 in 2023 to 6,028 in 2025. The agency attributed this surge partly to the administration's refusal to release detainees on bail and its aggressive detention policies.
Inspections revealed widespread failures to comply with ICE detention standards, including inadequate medical care, overcrowding, insufficient food, and excessive use of force by guards.
Detainees reported waiting several days for medical and mental health evaluations upon arrival, with some sleeping on the floor without access to water or adequate clothing.
In Adelanto, where four deaths occurred recently, the detained population jumped from seven in 2023 to 1,570 by early July 2025, overwhelming medical and staffing resources.
Detainees at multiple centers reported being unable to access requested medical appointments or receive timely treatment for chronic and acute conditions.
Food and water quality were also cited as major issues, with detainees reporting undercooked food, irregular meal times, and limited access to potable water. In Adelanto, water coolers remained empty for hours, and murky water was observed at a women's housing unit faucet.
At Golden State Annex and Mesa Verde, detainees said they spent between $50 and $150 per week on commissary items to stave off hunger.
The report also highlighted barriers to due process, including prolonged denial of phone access and language barriers that prevented detainees from understanding center rules.
Concerns about excessive force were raised, with reports of pepper spray being used against detainees at centers including Adelanto and Desert View.
Otay Mesa was identified as the only center in California with a policy and practice of strip-searching detainees after every non-legal contact visit, a practice detainees said had a severe negative impact on their mental health and dignity.
Bonta has previously opposed the Trump administration's bail policy, which he argues leads to indefinite detention without bond hearings. He has co-led six multi-state amicus briefs challenging that policy.
The attorney general also announced support for Senate Bill 1399, which would extend the reporting requirements of Assembly Bill 103 beyond its 2027 sunset date.
Bonta previously filed an amicus brief opposing conditions Processing Center in Adelanto and sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security highlighting dangers opened California City Detention Center.
A community briefing to share the report's findings is scheduled for June 9, 2026.