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Ossoff alleges 1,000+ human rights abuses at immigration centers; DHS disagrees

By
Published  January 27, 2026 4:39pm EST
Jon Ossoff
FOX 5 Atlanta

The Brief

    • Sen. Jon Ossoff released a report Tuesday alleging over 1,000 human rights violations at U.S. immigration facilities over the last year.
    • Georgia recorded the fourth-highest number of abuses, with the majority of nationwide complaints involving ICE detainees.
    • DHS dismissed the report as "political," accusing Ossoff of previous inaccuracies and remaining silent during the previous administration's border challenges.

WASHINGTON D.C. -
Senator Jon Ossoff claims he has discovered more than 1,000 verified human rights abuses in immigration facilities across the U.S., but the Department of Homeland Security is refuting those findings.

Ossoff releases report alleging human rights abuses

What we know:

Ossoff released a report on Tuesday stating that the investigation identified or received reports between Jan. 20, 2025, and Jan. 12, 2026. Ossoff's report detailed 1,037 alleged abuses, which his office categorized into the following areas:

  • Family separation
  • Medical neglect
  • Mistreatment of pregnant women and children
  • Physical and sexual abuse
  • Denial of adequate food, water, or access to attorneys
  • Overcrowding and unsanitary living conditions
  • Exposure to extreme temperatures and imposed sleep deprivation

The report highlighted specific instances, including a mother who claimed she was unable to shower because facility guards required her to hold her baby at all times. In another case, a U.S. citizen and Army veteran reportedly was detained for three days without access to an attorney or contact with family.

Read Sen. Ossoff's full report

Reports of human rights abuses

By the numbers:

Ossoff's office stated that Georgia ranked fourth among states with the most reported abuses, with 137 credible reports. The top three states were Texas (179), Florida (168), and California (146). Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was linked to the largest number of reports at 862, followed by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with 111.

DHS responds to alleged human rights abuses

The other side:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded to the report on Tuesday:

"Senator Ossoff stayed quiet as the Biden administration lost 450,000 unaccompanied migrant children and opened our border to terrorists and gang members. His silence on the demonization of federal law enforcement by their colleagues is equally as deafening. Just last year Sen. Ossoff released a ‘report’ filled with false claims and inaccuracies. It is clear the Senator is now only taking an interest in this subject matter for political purposes. ICE takes its commitment to promoting safe, secure, humane environments for those in our custody very seriously.

The Source: This is a FOX 5 original report. Information comes from FOX 5's Sam Daniel reviewing the report sent by Ossoff's office and reaching out to DHS for comment. 

Jon OssoffNewsImmigrationGeorgia Politics