Experts Criticize Solitary Confinement for Suicidal ICE Detainees

Medical experts and advocates are criticizing the routine use of solitary confinement for suicidal detainees at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center. An analysis of 911 call audio files revealed at least six suicide attempts at the facility between October 2025 and April 2026, some of which occurred while detainees were in isolation. Data indicates a broader trend across the system, with at least 10 suicides in ICE detention between January 2025 and May 2026, resulting in a suicide rate of 18 per 100,000 people in 2026.

The GEO Group, the private contractor operating the facility, and the Department of Homeland Security maintain that they follow strict prevention protocols and that suicides in detention are rare. However, experts argue that isolation exacerbates mental illness and that staff have ignored distress signals and delayed necessary treatment.

The Adelanto facilities have faced a federal lawsuit and a report from the California Attorney General citing inhumane conditions and substandard medical care. The California Department of Justice specifically noted that staffing levels at the center failed to meet needs, linking deaths to the lack of adequate care.