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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) watchdog has uncovered multiple use-of-force violations at a Louisiana immigration detention facility, including a prohibited chokehold and an incident in which a detainee was injured with a pen, according to a newly released inspector general report.
The findings come as federal officials face ongoing scrutiny over conditions in immigration detention facilities nationwide, including concerns about detainee treatment, medical care and oversight.
The DHS has maintained that detainees receive comprehensive medical care, including emergency services, but multiple detainees previously told Newsweek that care in detention is inadequate.
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The findings in Louisiana stem from an unannounced inspection of the Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield, conducted by the DHS Office of Inspector General. The report reviewed video footage and facility conditions as part of its evaluation of compliance with federal detention standards.
Watchdog Finds Prohibited Use-of-Force Tactics
Investigators said staff placed a detainee in a chokehold to “gain control,” despite agency policies that generally prohibit neck restraints. In a separate incident, an officer stabbed a detainee in the hand with a pen after being unable to secure a housing unit door, according to the report.
"An officer could not close and secure a housing unit because a detainee would not remove his hand from the unit’s door. After verbally ordering the detainee to remove his hand, the officer then stabbed the detainee’s right thumb with a pen, puncturing the skin," the report reads.
The officer faced disciplinary action following an investigation, the report says.
The inspector general said the facility did not fully comply with several federal detention standards, including those governing use of force, environmental health and safety, medical care, and access to legal materials.
Newsweek contacted the DHS via email outside of office hours for comment.
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Leaking Infrastructure, Legal Access Concerns Cited
Inspectors also documented broader conditions inside the facility, including leaking vents and ceilings with insulation falling through. Staff reportedly used makeshift containers such as napkins and Styrofoam to catch water.
Other issues included record-keeping errors, limited access to exercise equipment, and concerns about a shared computer used for legal research that could expose detainees’ case information to others.
The report issued nine recommendations aimed at improving compliance and strengthening oversight of use-of-force incidents and facility safety standards.
ICE and DHS Response
“These minor infractions included failing to provide detainees exercise equipment, record keeping errors and leaking vents. Another infraction included providing a shared computer for legal research that would allow other detainees to see other detainees’ case information,” a spokesperson for ICE told NBC News.
“ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens,” A DHS spokesperson told NBC News.
Context: Scrutiny Over Detention Conditions
The findings come amid ongoing scrutiny of immigration detention facilities across the United States, including concerns over medical and mental health care, oversight, and access to treatment.
The Trump administration has expanded detention as part of its deportation program, a move that has strained facilities nationwide amid what critics describe as an increasingly aggressive enforcement effort.
ICE was holding 60,311 people in detention as of April 4, 2026, according to Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse data.
Under ICE detention standards, staff are permitted to use only approved force methods, with chokeholds and other neck restraints explicitly prohibited, along with strikes to sensitive areas and force used to compel compliance when lesser force would suffice.
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