Trump Administration's ICE Used Court Orders for Medical Procedures on Hunger Strikers

Court records reviewed by the Guardian indicate that officials from the Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attempted to subject at least 10 hunger strikers in U.S. immigrant detention to involuntary medical procedures, including force-feeding and intravenous hydration. In 2025 and 2026, at least three detained immigrants were confirmed to have undergone these procedures, while two others were likely subjected to them. Five additional hunger strikers ended their protests just before the procedures began. One Kurdish asylum seeker at the Port Isabel service processing center in Texas was force-fed for nearly eight months, while another detainee at the same facility experienced involuntary procedures for six months. A detainee at the Krome service processing center in Miami faced forced medical procedures for nearly three months. The practices reportedly began shortly before Trump's second inauguration and continued thereafter. In six cases, the detained immigrants lacked legal representation during the court proceedings that authorized these medical interventions. The Guardian also noted that similar practices were attempted under the Biden administration in 2024, raising concerns among medical experts and advocates about the potential for increased hunger strikes and forced treatments under the current administration.