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DHS IG Finds Chokehold, Pen Stabbing at Louisiana ICE Prison

6/4/2026

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Summary

Story summary

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector general report documented a prohibited chokehold and a pen stabbing by staff at Winn Correctional Center in Louisiana.
The report found the facility violated safety, sanitation and use-of-force standards.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is addressing the findings.
The inspector general issued nine recommendations covering environmental health, food service and record-keeping.

History

Historical Context

The Prison Rape Elimination Act, signed on September 4 2003, set federal standards that the Justice Department codified in a May 2012 rule. After the 2009 NPREC report warned of 60,000 annual abuse cases, the Office of Detention Oversight inspected over 1,200 facilities by 2010. A 2024 DHS inspector-general review of Winn Correctional Center found a prohibited chokehold and a pen stabbing, reviving enforcement concerns.

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Story summary

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector general report documented a prohibited chokehold and a pen stabbing by staff at Winn Correctional Center in Louisiana.
The report found the facility violated safety, sanitation and use-of-force standards.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is addressing the findings.
The inspector general issued nine recommendations covering environmental health, food service and record-keeping.

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