ICE officers face dangerous conditions while detaining migrants in Djibouti
- Melissa Harper, an ICE official, reported unsafe conditions faced by officers and migrant detainees in Djibouti.
- Detainees were held in inadequate living quarters at Camp Lemonnier, leading to health issues among both the migrants and officers.
- The ongoing situation raises concerns about the government's handling of custody arrangements and the wellbeing of its staff.
In March 2025, a top official from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Melissa Harper, filed a sworn declaration in federal court regarding hazardous conditions faced by ICE staff and migrant detainees in Djibouti. These detainees, who include individuals with criminal records, were relocated to a U.S. military base, Camp Lemonnier, after a federal judge prohibited their deportation back to South Sudan. Harper highlighted several concerns, including overcrowding in a makeshift detention area, extreme weather conditions, and inadequate security measures. These issues compounded when the officers and detainees began experiencing health problems soon after their arrival. The situation was exacerbated as ICE officers exhibited symptoms consistent with bacterial upper respiratory infections, complicating their ability to manage the detainees safely. With reports indicating a lack of medical supplies, the officers’ health continued to deteriorate, showcasing an alarming disregard for their wellbeing. Furthermore, emerging risks from potential terrorist rocket attacks from Yemen added pressure on already strained resources. Harper emphasized that there was insufficient protective equipment available, raising questions about the security of both the detainees and the officers tasked with overseeing them. Additionally, the detainees’ living arrangements raised significant ethical concerns. Holding them in a repurposed shipping container intended for other uses, such as a conference room, demonstrated a failure to provide appropriate and humane conditions for high-risk individuals. The limited access to basic sanitary facilities further highlighted these inadequacies, with only one migrant allowed access to the bathroom at a time, requiring officer escort due to safety protocols. The broader implications of this situation extend into the realm of policy, with the Department of Homeland Security attributing the dire conditions to a federal judge's decision to halt deportations. The ongoing legal debate regarding the deportation proceedings prompted the ICE to maintain custody of the migrants abroad. Despite public relations statements from government officials making claims of protecting the rights of the detainees, evidence collected from the ground suggests that both the officers and detainees are subjected to unsafe and unhealthy conditions. Thus, the ongoing custody of these individuals in Djibouti serves as a reminder that enforcement strategies impact not only those in detention but also those responsible for their oversight, as seen in the alarming declaration provided in court by Harper.