1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

What is happening at the Prairie View ICE detention center in Texas is not only a moral failure—it is a clear violation of human rights and the law. It’s inhumane. It’s un-American. It’s against every religious teaching in the world. It is wrong. People held in federal custody are being forced to endure freezing temperatures while ICE refuses to turn on the heat. This is not negligence. This is deliberate, punitive mistreatment of human beings who cannot protect themselves. This conduct violates multiple legal and human rights standards, including but not limited to: • The U.S. Constitution Under the Fifth Amendment, individuals in civil detention are entitled to due process and humane conditions of confinement. Subjecting detainees to extreme cold constitutes punishment without trial and violates basic constitutional protections. • ICE’s Own Detention Standards ICE Performance-Based National Detention Standards (PBNDS) require facilities to maintain temperatures that ensure the health and safety of detainees. Refusing to provide heat in cold conditions is a direct breach of ICE’s own rules. • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Article 5 states: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” Freezing people in custody is cruel, inhuman, and degrading—full stop. • The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) The United States is a party to this treaty. Article 10 mandates that “All persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.” ICE is violating this obligation. • The Convention Against Torture (CAT) The U.S. is legally bound to prevent acts of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment by government officials. Prolonged exposure to extreme cold is a recognized form of such abuse. There is no legal justification. There is no moral excuse. There is no ambiguity here. America does not punish people by freezing them. America does not abuse those in its custody. America does not look away while government agencies violate human rights. And yet, this is happening right now, and Congress has the authority—and responsibility—to stop it. Turn the heat on immediately. Launch a formal investigation. Hold ICE leadership accountable. End these abusive conditions before someone is seriously injured or killed. Silence is complicity. History will remember who acted—and who chose to look away.