Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) is calling for urgent accountability after finally gaining access to the Broadview ICE Processing Facility, a site she says is operating under conditions far below what the federal government should accept for holding human beings.
Underwood, the ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, posted a detailed statement and a video to Instagram on Nov. 24 during an interaction with the press, describing what she witnessed and what she didn’t.
Months of Delayed Access, and an Empty Facility
According to Underwood, it took months of repeated requests before ICE allowed her to tour the suburban Chicago site. When she arrived, she was told the facility was empty because staff were “updating their security systems.” No detainees. No workers. Just a shell.
But what she saw inside, she said, raised deeper questions.
“These Are in No Way Suitable Conditions to Be Holding Anyone — Period.”
Underwood described holding cells outfitted with rows of chairs — one large cell containing about 45 — and a single exposed toilet in each. “The toilet was not in any way anything that any of us would be comfortable using,” she said, particularly given the complete lack of privacy.
Signs posted in English and Spanish indicated detainees could request a shower “at least every other day.”
ICE officials also told her the facility had no food vendor, instead feeding detainees meals from Subway or Walmart, and no medical care on-site. Supplies were minimal — “one package of Huggies,” a few sanitary pads, foot powder. All of it, she said, fell far short of what federal standards require.
A Microcosm of a Larger Problem
Underwood’s account comes at a turbulent moment for the federal immigration system. Broadview is one of many local facilities ICE uses to temporarily house detainees during transfers, court appearances, or pending removal. But watchdog groups and lawmakers from both parties have raised alarms for years about inconsistent standards, poor oversight, and a patchwork of privately contracted facilities that operate with little transparency.
Underwood’s post underscores how even members of Congress have to fight for access — a troubling sign, she argued, for an agency funded by taxpayers and entrusted with broad powers.
Human Stakes Behind the Policy Fight
What Underwood is describing isn’t just bureaucracy — it’s the lived experience of migrants, asylum seekers, and long-term residents who can end up in ICE custody for days or weeks. Privacy, sanitation, adequate food, and basic medical support aren’t luxuries — they’re the bare minimum for humane treatment.
Her tour raises a fundamental question: If this is what a member of Congress sees after months of trying to get in, what happens when no one is watching?
Underwood has not yet announced specific legislative actions but stated that oversight of Homeland Security remains one of her top priorities heading into 2026 budget negotiations.
