Hundreds of ICE Detainees Launch Hunger Strike in Michigan
Hundreds of immigrants detained at the ICE North Lake Processing Center in Michigan have launched a hunger strike, according to immigration advocates.
The protest began Monday and involves detainees refusing food and, in some cases, work assignments, according to the immigration activist group No Detention Centers in Michigan. The facility, operated by private contractor GEO Group under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is one of the largest immigration detention centers in the Midwest.
Advocacy organizations say a majority of men in multiple housing units are participating in the strike.
Newsweek reached out to the GEO Group and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The protest comes amid growing scrutiny of conditions in ICE detention facilities nationwide. Immigrant advocates and some progressive lawmakers have raised concerns about medical care, oversight, legal access, and prolonged detention, particularly as immigration arrests increase under the Trump administration's enforcement efforts. DHS, which oversees ICE, has disputed claims of systemic failures, saying facilities follow established medical protocols and are required to provide safe, secure, and humane conditions.
What To Know
Lauren Coman, a member of the group, told Michigan Advance that 200 detainees are on hunger strike.
"We have confirmation from the Echo, Bravo, and the Delta pod," she told the outlet. "Along with the hunger strike, we also have confirmation that they are striking from their jobs internally with the GEO Group: Laundry, cleaning, kitchen, etc."
"We demand competent doctors, better medical care-the food here is absolute garbage-and, above all, an end to the procedural delays we are suffering through inside these walls," one immigrant detained at North Lake, said in a statement released by No Detention Centers in Michigan. "We are being held prisoner arbitrarily. The majority of us meet all the requirements to be released, yet judges capriciously deny us bond and the basic rights to which we are entitled. We need to get out of here and to be treated like human beings."
"The prevailing feeling is one of deep discontent regarding the injustices faced in immigration courts," another person detained at North Lake said through the group. "There are complaints regarding the lack of expediency in case processing, a lack of sound judgment and impartiality in judges' rulings, the mass denial of cases, and a lack of legal aid.”
Under President Donald Trump’s second term, DHS has maintained that “For many illegal aliens, this is the best health care they have received their entire lives.”
Outside the facility, demonstrators have gathered in support of the detainees. Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib expressed support for the hunger strikers, describing their actions as a protest against "inhumane conditions and policies."
“Brave immigrants at ICE’s North Lake prison in Michigan have launched a hunger strike to protest inhumane conditions and policies that strip them of their dignity and rights. They shouldn’t have to risk their lives to demand they are treated like human beings. We stand with them,” Tlabi wrote on X.
“All detainees shall have access to appropriate medical, dental, and mental health care, including emergency services,” according to a 2025 ICE policy paper reviewed by Newsweek.
The North Lake facility has a complex history. Originally opened in 1999 as a state-run youth prison, it has closed and reopened multiple times under different uses. From 2019 to 2022, it operated as a federal prison housing migrants without legal status, during which time several hunger strikes and reported deaths drew attention from civil rights groups.
Since reopening in 2025 as an ICE detention center, the facility has held more than 1,000 detainees at a time, according to reports. Advocates claim that some individuals have been found by judges to have been unlawfully detained, though such claims vary by case and jurisdiction.
Nenko Gantchev, a 56-year-old Bulgarian national, died on December 15 while in ICE custody at the North Lake Correctional Facility in Michigan, according to the agency’s detainee death notifications.
What Happens Next
Immigration advocates say they will continue monitoring conditions at the North Lake Processing Center. Federal authorities have not publicly detailed how many detainees are participating in the hunger strike or whether medical evaluations are underway.
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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 11:11 AM.