Washington Post Investigation: ICE Guards Used Chemical Agents and Physical Force on Detainees at Multiple Facilities

The Washington Post published an investigation on May 4, 2026 based on internal ICE records revealing that guards have deployed chemical agents — including pepper balls — and physical control tactics on immigration detainees held in civil custody. The investigation documented cases including Pedro Cantú Ríos and other detainees at a facility in Alaska among those subjected to use-of-force incidents. ICE detainees are held in civil — not criminal — custody, and advocates argue that the deployment of punitive force on people who have not been convicted of crimes violates ICE's own Performance-Based National Detention Standards and due process protections. The investigation adds to a pattern documented by DHS's own Office of Inspector General: repeated reports of substandard treatment, inadequate medical care, and excessive discipline at ICE-contracted facilities. The findings come as FY2026 in-custody deaths have reached a record 30+ and ICE has expanded detention at pace — adding contract facilities and converting buildings — with limited DHS oversight capacity. Congress has held oversight hearings but has not enacted mandatory minimum standards for use-of-force policies in ICE detention. Advocates called for immediate criminal investigations and suspension of the facilities involved.