Immigrant Families Held in Harsh Conditions Amid LA Raids, Lawyers Allege

 LOS ANGELES — As federal authorities executed sweeping immigration raids across the Los Angeles region, families — including those with young children — were allegedly detained in inhumane conditions, confined for days in office basements with inadequate food, water, and shelter, according to immigration attorneys.

The nonprofit Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), which provides legal services to immigrants in Southern California, reported that one family, including three children — the youngest just three years old — was held for 48 hours in a Los Angeles-area administrative building following their arrest immediately after an immigration court appearance last Thursday.

According to ImmDef lawyers, the family's only sustenance for an entire day consisted of a bag of chips, a box of animal crackers, and a small milk carton. On the first day, agents reportedly told the family there was no water available. By the second day, all five family members were provided a single bottle of water to share. The only fan in the confined space, lawyers noted, was directed at a security officer rather than the detainees.

“Because most of the individuals detained were men, there were no designated spaces for families or women,” said Yliana Johansen-Méndez, Chief Program Officer at ImmDef. “Eventually, agents erected a makeshift tent in an outdoor area to separate women and children, but there were no beds, no showers — basic needs were not met.”

Following the initial detention, the family was transferred to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas — a large-scale facility originally reopened during the Trump administration to house parents and children together.

Access to legal representation remained severely limited throughout the detentions. ImmDef attorneys said they were only able to obtain firsthand accounts after the families had been transferred out of state. These testimonies are among the first detailed descriptions to surface about conditions endured by those swept up in the recent LA raids.

In response to widespread protests that erupted across the city, President Donald Trump deployed military personnel to the area, despite resistance from California state and local leaders. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stated that 118 immigrants were arrested on Friday and over the weekend, with additional arrests occurring earlier at local courthouses and immigration offices.

Local advocacy groups, including ImmDef, have compiled a separate list identifying over 80 individuals detained during the operation — many of whom are reportedly not listed in federal detainee databases.

Many detainees were held in makeshift facilities, including courthouse basements and administrative offices not designed for overnight detention. Over recent days, immigration attorneys have stationed themselves outside federal offices, attempting to make contact with detainees. However, both federal agents and National Guard troops have largely denied access, citing security concerns amid the ongoing demonstrations.

As of Tuesday, the downtown Los Angeles immigration court remained closed and cordoned off.

Despite repeated inquiries from The Guardian, DHS has yet to clarify where detainees are being held or whether local field offices had been instructed to prepare facilities and supplies in advance of the large-scale enforcement operation.