A dozen people with their faces blurred sit and lay side by side on a concrete floor. A door with a glass window can be seen on the far side. Multiple people on the floor lay on thin emergency blankets.

IMPACT: ICE EXPOSED

THE CITY Exposes ICE’s Human Rights Violations at 26 Federal Plaza

September 17, 2025

Months after THE CITY published leaked footage exposing the inhumane conditions for immigrants held for days at 26 Federal Plaza, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction to reinforce capacity restrictions and safer conditions. 

We revealed that hundreds of detainees were being held for days at a time with limited access to showers, medical care, and food — despite ICE’s claims to the contrary. 

The day after our initial report sparked a public outcry, Mayor Eric Adams called for a federal investigation. And in September 2025, Judge Lewis Kaplan ordered the Trump administration to provide at least 50 square feet of space per person, three meals per day, sanitary products and clean bedding and confidential legal access to all detained immigrants.

Thank you for reading — and for being a part of what makes the city and THE CITY so great. Please consider donating to help keep our reporters on the beat. 

To read more about THE CITY’s impact, view our impact page. Or, read our latest impact report.