‘What they’re doing qualifies as torture’: new details of ICE force-feeding revealed
Exclusive: cases of Afghan man, Ukrainian man and Saudi woman show repeated nasogastric tube insertions and lack of legal representation
TL;DR
- ICE has attempted to force-feed at least 10 detained hunger strikers since January 2025.
- Human rights organizations widely condemn force-feeding as torture.
- An Afghan man was force-fed for nearly six months, enduring repeated nasogastric tube insertions under restraint.
- A Ukrainian man with mental health problems was nearly force-fed, but his attorney intervened, leading to a hospital evaluation and the case dismissal.
- A Saudi woman on hunger strike was hospitalized twice with malnutrition and other issues before ICE sought to force-feed her; she eventually broke her strike.
- In many cases, detainees lacked legal representation during court proceedings that authorized force-feeding.
- The process for obtaining court orders for force-feeding is described as quick and secretive, with records often sealed.