ICE Issues Updated National Detention Standards
ICE issued the National Detention Standards (NDS) 2019, which supersede the standards issued in 2000. Per ICE, “These detention standards will apply to the approximately 45 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) facilities currently operating under the NDS, approximately 35 United States Marshals Service (USMS) facilities used by ICE and which ICE inspects against the NDS, as well as approximately 60 facilities (both IGSA and USMS) which do not reach the threshold for ICE annual inspections – generally those with an Average Daily Population of less than 10.”
The revised NDS eliminate or greatly reduce a number of prior standards, including for “Emergency Plans; Marriage Requests; Non-Medical Emergency Escorted Trips; Contraband; Population Counts; Key and Lock Control; and Tool Control.” Per ICE, “Descriptions of ICE’s responsibilities and commitments to its detainees have been removed throughout.”
The complete National Detention Standards (NDS) 2019 can be found at: https://www.ice.gov/detention-standards/2019
Related Resources
- Texas Observer: ICE Quietly Lowers (Already Low) Standards at Some Immigration Detention Facilities – January 21, 2020
- Immigration Impact: ICE Revises Its Standards for Some Detention Facilities - December 2, 2019
- AILA Submits Comments on Proposed Revisions to National Detention Standards
- DHS OIG Issues Report After Immediate Risks and Egregious Violations Found at ICE Detention Facilities
- Deaths at Adult Detention Centers
- ICE Detention Operations Manual (2000)