Nuvia M.: Woman detained at ICE check-in, denied diabetes medicine in overcrowded Manhattan facility
Nuvia Martinez, who has diabetes, was detained at a routine ICE check-in in Manhattan and denied her medication for days in an overcrowded facility with no beds, showers, or enough food.
Jun 1, 2026New York, NY

Nuvia Martinez was detained after attending a routine ICE check-in appointment at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan and held in severely overcrowded conditions for days. Martinez, who has diabetes, was denied access to her required medication despite medical need. She described the facility—designed to hold people for only 12 hours—as holding dozens of detainees in small rooms with no beds or full-time medical staff. In sworn testimony, Martinez reported that women who were menstruating were bleeding through their clothes, almost no food was provided, there were no showers available, and detainees had no access to basic hygiene. She stated: "I was just a body that they crammed into a room, almost as if to be forgotten." The detention occurred as ICE arrests surged.
“I was just a body that they crammed into a room, almost as if to be forgotten.”
“I asked why they were doing this and an ICE officer said ‘it’s a new government,’”
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Sources
- Washington Post
- New York Times
- Documents reveal the true feelings of ICE officers at a NYC immigration facility
The Independent·Jun 1, 2026·archived copy
The Independent·Jun 1, 2026·archived copy
- ‘Like Dogs in Here’ — Videos Expose ICE Lockup Inside 26 Federal Plaza
The City Reporter·Jul 22, 2025·archived copy
Show 3 more sources ↓Show fewer sources ↑
- ICE Moved Detainees to Previously Undisclosed Floor of 26 Federal Plaza
The City Reporter·Feb 10, 2026·archived copy
- Judge Raises Shutting Down 26 Federal Plaza Detention as ICE Conditions Go on Trial
The NY Beat·May 28, 2026·archived copy
- Federal Judge Questions US Officials Over Conditions at Manhattan Detention Facility
Law.com·May 27, 2026·archived copy
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