WASHINGTON — A Department of Homeland Security watchdog office recommended the immediate relocation of all immigrant detainees at the Torrance County Detention Facility in New Mexico after uncovering “safety risks and unsanitary living conditions” there.
The inspector general’s office, which conducted an unannounced inspection in February of the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement facility, found that detainees were exposed to “excessive and avoidable unsanitary conditions,” including clogged toilets, mold and water leaks, and missing hot water buttons.
Issues resulted from critical staffing shortages, inspectors found: at the time of the inspection, Torrance had 133 full-time employees out of 245 required, or 54 percent.
