Queer and trans immigrants allege abuse at Louisiana ICE detention facility.
Oct 16, 2025·Location: Basile, LA

Queer and trans immigrants detained at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center alleged they were forced into an unsanctioned work program performing hard manual labor for minimal pay, and sexually harassed and assaulted by an assistant warden named Manuel Reyes between 2023 and 2025. Detainees reported facing medical neglect, retaliation for reporting abuse, and having their complaints systematically ignored by ICE officials. Four detainees filed administrative complaints under the Federal Tort Claims Act, and civil rights complaints were submitted to DHS oversight bodies by RFK Human Rights, the ACLU of Louisiana, and the National Immigration Project.
Sources
- Queer and trans immigrants allege forced labor and sexual assault in Ice facility: ‘I was treated worse than an animal’
The Guardian·Oct 16, 2025·archived copy
- ICE Warden Put Transgender Detainees into Forced Labor Program: Complaint
Newsweek·Sep 27, 2025·archived copy
- Transgender Detainees Allege Systemic Abuse in Louisiana ICE Facility
rifttv.com·Sep 29, 2025·archived copy
- lgbtqnation.com
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