To: Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Bureau of Prisons RE ICE Detention at FCI Leavenworth

On May 29, 2025, the Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation, the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Liberties Union of Kansas, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Federal Public Defender for the District of Kansas, the Missouri/Kansas Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the National Immigrant Justice Center, and the Office of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth sent a letter over problematic and unlawful conditions at the facility and the detention of people who have already won their immigration cases.

In June 2025, the warden of FCI Leavenworth sent a response to the signatories of the letter. We recognize that the facility has addressed some of the issues of detention we initially raised, but ICE continues its prolonged detention of individuals who have won their immigration cases. ICE should be releasing people immediately after they have prevailed. Notably, ICE did not respond to the letter or these concerns.

The warden's response and, separately, detainees confirmed that some conditions of detention had improved. There were less constant lockdowns, access to outdoor rec, less crowding of cells used to hold people, and better language access through forms and phone interpretation. There was better medical care access in that it was made free to see the doctor and get prescription medication, and the pill call nurses would discuss other medical issues when they stop by rather than refusing to hear them.

However, some concerns about conditions of detention appear to be unaddressed from the response and adjustments, notably the mistreatment of detainees by guards of the facility, including group retaliation for individuals fighting and lingering issues with access to phone calls, religious services, and commissary items.