Manhattan ICE facility flooded with envelopes containing white powder; here's what happened
Kaz Daughtry, NYC Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, said on X 'Our teams and federal partners are investigating an incident at 26 Federal Plaza. I have personally briefed @nycmayor Adams and The Deputy Mayor for Administration Camille Joseph Varlack in regard to the circumstances.'
What's happening at 26 Federal Plaza
NYC Mayor Eric Adams shared further updates on what's unfurling. He wrote on X 'New Yorkers, I have been preliminarily briefed on the matter unfolding at 26 Federal Plaza.'
Envelopes containing white powder have been discovered there, the mayor shared, adding that there have been no injuries reported at this time.
Also Read | Who is Deon Lewis? Green card holder detained by ICE begs for deportation
'The investigation is ongoing. Expect increased presence and temporary closures. Please avoid the area and follow official channels for verified updates,' Daughtry added.
Adams also said that test results on the contents of the envelope are awaited and federal agencies are on it. The New York Fire Department's hazmat teams are at the site to ensure the safety of everyone inside and outside the building.
What is at 26 Federal Plaza?
The building at 26 Federal Plaza is home to the Department of Homeland Security, among other agencies. It also houses detention facilities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A couple of days back, a federal judge had ordered the Trump administration to 'immediately improve conditions' at the holding facility there.
ICE was told to limit capacity, ensure cleanliness, and provide sleeping mats for the rooms at 26 Federal Plaza.
Detainees kept there had complained of not having soap, toothbrushes or other hygienic products, and said they were fed inedible 'slop', and had to endure the 'horrific stench' of sweat, feces, and urine, as per court filings.
The building at 26 Federal Plaza, which houses FBI's New York field office and the immigration court has become the epicenter of President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration.
(With AP inputs)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Manhattan ICE facility flooded with envelopes containing white powder; here's what happened
The building at 26 Federal Plaza in lower Manhattan was evacuated Thursday after reports of suspicious white powder being found. Mayor Eric Adams shared that no injuries have been reported at the time at 26 Federal Plaza, and teams are working to ensure the safety of everyone. (X/@kazdaughtry) Kaz Daughtry, NYC Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, said on X 'Our teams and federal partners are investigating an incident at 26 Federal Plaza. I have personally briefed @nycmayor Adams and The Deputy Mayor for Administration Camille Joseph Varlack in regard to the circumstances.' What's happening at 26 Federal Plaza NYC Mayor Eric Adams shared further updates on what's unfurling. He wrote on X 'New Yorkers, I have been preliminarily briefed on the matter unfolding at 26 Federal Plaza.' Envelopes containing white powder have been discovered there, the mayor shared, adding that there have been no injuries reported at this time. Also Read | Who is Deon Lewis? Green card holder detained by ICE begs for deportation 'The investigation is ongoing. Expect increased presence and temporary closures. Please avoid the area and follow official channels for verified updates,' Daughtry added. Adams also said that test results on the contents of the envelope are awaited and federal agencies are on it. The New York Fire Department's hazmat teams are at the site to ensure the safety of everyone inside and outside the building. What is at 26 Federal Plaza? The building at 26 Federal Plaza is home to the Department of Homeland Security, among other agencies. It also houses detention facilities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A couple of days back, a federal judge had ordered the Trump administration to 'immediately improve conditions' at the holding facility there. ICE was told to limit capacity, ensure cleanliness, and provide sleeping mats for the rooms at 26 Federal Plaza. Detainees kept there had complained of not having soap, toothbrushes or other hygienic products, and said they were fed inedible 'slop', and had to endure the 'horrific stench' of sweat, feces, and urine, as per court filings. The building at 26 Federal Plaza, which houses FBI's New York field office and the immigration court has become the epicenter of President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. (With AP inputs)
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Who is Deon Lewis? Green card holder detained by ICE begs for deportation
A green card holder has asked to be deported from the US, saying he is in chronic pain in a Texas immigration detention center, where he claims he has not received treatment for sickle cell disease, the Houston Chronicle reported. Held in ICE custody, Deon Lewis waived appeal rights to speed up deportation, saying his health is failing and detention conditions are worsening his condition.(GofundMe) Who is Deon Lewis? Deon Lewis, 43, has been a legal permanent resident since 1993. He was born with a condition that affects blood flow, can cause severe pain, and may lead to organ damage or stroke. 'It's only a matter of time before something really bad happens to me,' he told the Houston Chronicle. 'Why haven't I been deported yet? I've been begging these people to deport me.' A member of his legal team has even pointed to his criminal record to push for faster deportation so he can get treatment. President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to remove millions of undocumented migrants as part of his pledge for mass deportations. Also Read: Indian man claims deportation from UK after 30 years, friends see him off at airport: 'They are deporting him' Along with people without legal status, some immigrants with valid documents, including green cards and visas, have also been detained. Immigration authorities have faced more scrutiny amid misconduct claims, with ICE at the center of the immigration debate. Lewis has had lung surgery and previously had medication that helped him function, the outlet reported. He has been held in Houston since June 30 after being detained earlier in Louisiana, according to the Chronicle. His lawyers say he has been denied medication in Texas and has fainted from pain. In mid-July, he agreed to a stipulated removal order, waiving his right to appeal or seek judicial review, saying his main goal is to be released. Deon Lewis was arrested in 2002 and 2020 Lewis has a criminal record going back to 2002, when he was arrested for cocaine possession, pleaded guilty, and was put on probation. In 2020, he was arrested again on marijuana and cocaine possession charges and for carrying a firearm. 'I've been in this country since I was 11 years old. Yeah, I did something wrong,' he said. 'Since then, I went on to start my own business. I've got five children that I take care of. I've never been on child support for any of them,' he told the outlet. An ICE spokesperson said, 'He is the definition of a threat to public safety and will remain in ICE custody until his removal can be carried out.' Lewis said he and his wife, Roxanne Lewis, have offered to pay his travel costs themselves to speed up his release. 'And that's without me even knowing what I'm going into. I just want to get out of here so I can get medical attention,' Lewis said. Deon Lewis is a business owner Roxanne wrote on GoFundMe, 'Deon is an asset to his community and has been for over 30 years in the United States. He is a business owner. Providing jobs and transportation to the public. Please help Deon to be released and free from this horrible situation which has affected, devastated, destroying all of us so much.' Rina Gandhi, one of Lewis' attorneys, told the Houston Chronicle, 'He's not fighting or disputing removal — he's trying to leave due to his severe health concerns and everyone agrees to his removal. So why is he still here? His rap sheet shouldn't matter. If anything, it should speed things up.' Lewis will remain in ICE custody until removal proceedings are completed.
NDTV
19 hours ago
- NDTV
Inside Trump's 'Alligator Alcatraz': Detainees Claim Abuse In Legal Black Hole
At US President Donald Trump's new migrant detention centre in the Florida Everglades, time has no discernible meaning. Prisoners are barely able to see sunlight in the windowless space, living under fluorescent lamps that are always on, with no clocks or anything else by which they might mark the days. Several detainees, their family members and lawyers have denounced appalling conditions at the facility, nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz" by an administration that has likened undocumented migrants to "animals" and promised to deport millions. AFP spoke with several "Alligator Alcatraz" detainees by phone and obtained further information about conditions there from relatives, lawyers and legal documents. Detainees spoke of facilities covered in filth, a lack of medical care, mistreatment, and the violation of their legal rights. "They don't even treat animals like this. This is like torture," said Luis Gonzalez, a 25-year-old Cuban who called AFP from inside the centre. Florida authorities built the facilities in eight days -- opening the centre on July 2 at an abandoned airfield in the Everglades wetlands. Governed by Republican Ron DeSantis, the southeastern state signed an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain undocumented foreigners, a power that until now had been reserved for federal authorities. Now, the Trump administration wants to make this a model for other detention centres across the country. Like 'murderers' Gonzalez arrived in the United States in 2022 and settled in Florida after authorities released him while his asylum application was being reviewed. Last month, when an immigration judge dismissed his case, ICE agents arrested him and took him to "Alligator Alcatraz." They kept him chained by his hands, waist, and feet on a bus with other detainees for more than a day before taking him to one of the large tents that house eight cells each, he said. "I haven't seen sunlight in the 14 days I've been here," he said. "When they take us to the dining hall, they take us with our hands on our heads as if we were murderers." He lives in a cell with about 30 people, a space enclosed by chain-linked fencing that he compares to a chicken coop. It is hardly ever cleaned, he says, not even the three toilets that everyone shares. At the time of the call, Gonzalez had not showered for a week. The days are hot, with swarms of mosquitoes in the cells, and the nights are not much better. - Beatings, attempted suicide - Gonzalez and other detainees have denounced the lack of medical care available at the site. Michael Borrego Fernandez, 35, complained of pain but was not treated until he began to bleed, according to his lawyers and legal documents. He underwent emergency surgery for haemorrhoids, only to have to be hospitalised again when he was not given antibiotics and his wounds became infected. Some prisoners, such as Marcos Puig, 31, have rebelled. Before a visit from officials, guards isolated him to prevent him from protesting, he said by phone from another Florida facility where he is now being held. Outraged, he broke a toilet in his new cell, prompting a dozen guards to enter, handcuff him, and punch and kick him all over his body. Afterwards, he says, they left him kneeling for about 12 hours in a space without cameras or air conditioning before transferring him to another detention facility. "I arrived here broken. I was covered in bruises," he said. Another inmate, Gonzalo Almanza Valdes, reported seeing guards "beat up" detainees, according to a recorded phone call with his wife. Desperation has pushed some to the limit. On Sunday, Sonia Bichara called her partner, detainee Rafael Collado. Through the speakerphone, the 63-year-old man said, "I have tried to kill myself twice, I have cut my veins." When contacted by AFP, Florida authorities denied allegations of abuse. 'Completely illegal' Activists and lawyers are demanding the closure of the facilities, which are facing two lawsuits. The first alleges that migrants' right to due process is not being respected. "There are people who have been there since they arrived and have still not seen a judge. And that cannot be, it is completely illegal," said Magdalena Cuprys, Gonzalez's lawyer. She said detainees were unable to request bail or a case review because the courts that should be hearing the cases are not doing so, claiming they have no jurisdiction over the state-operated centre. The second lawsuit alleges that the facility threatens the Everglades ecosystem. Last week, a federal judge ordered a 14-day suspension of all new construction at the centre while she reviews the case.
