The ACLU of Washington is suing the federal government, claiming that an asylum-seeking family was illegally detained in deplorable conditions for nearly a month. The lawsuit puts a spotlight on how immigration authorities handled the case and on the treatment the family says it endured while in custody.
According to the lawsuit, the family, which includes four children, entered the United States in 2024 after facing threats of persecution from their own government. Upon arrival, the family began the process of applying for asylum, seeking protection under the U.S. immigration system.
In April 2025, however, a judge ordered that the family be deported. The ACLU says the family, including a pregnant mother named Josefina, was trying to reach Canada when they were arrested, setting off the detention that is now at the center of the legal challenge.
The lawsuit alleges the family was then held for nearly a month in a small cell with no windows and in hot conditions. The organization describes the circumstances as deplorable, arguing that the prolonged confinement fell far short of acceptable standards for people in federal custody.
The complaint also states that Josefina was hospitalized twice after she passed out during the detention. Her health episodes have become a key part of the ACLU's argument that the family was not properly cared for while being held.
The suit takes direct issue with Customs and Border Patrol policies. The ACLU claims those policies were violated in this case, noting that the agency should not hold detainees for more than 72 hours and asserting that officials failed to provide adequate care for Josefina. The lawsuit seeks 15 million dollars in damages for the family.
Fox 13 reached out to Customs and Border Patrol for a statement on the allegations but was still waiting to hear back. The case adds to the wider scrutiny of how asylum seekers are processed and detained, and its outcome could draw further attention to the conditions inside federal immigration facilities.