PoliticsJon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock Demand 'Immediate Investigation' Into Georgia ICE Facility After Detainee's Alleged Suicide
Warnock and Ossoff wants answers on the controversial ICE facility.
Oct. 26 2026, Published 5:54 p.m. ET
Georgia Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock are demanding an "immediate investigation" into Folkston Georgia's D. Ray James ICE facility, where detainees are undergoing a hunger strike and a man has died by apparent suicide.
The senators wrote Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding the investigation after what they call “reports of medical neglect and retaliation by custodial officers in response to the hunger strike.”
Detainees Go on Hunger Strike to Protest Poor Conditions
Some of the hunger strikers have allegedly been put in solitary confinement.
The hunger strike at the Georgia facility began in early October. Detainees there allege they have been held at the facility for over a year and have experienced substandard medical care, threats from guards, moldy food and a lack of due process.
“Many of us have tried every available legal path to seek release from detention,” the detainees wrote in a letter announcing their strike. “Innocent people can remain in detention for very long periods, without any individualized finding that they are dangerous or likely to flee.”
At the time, one leader of the strike, Russian asylum seeker Idris Makhmudov, had allegedly been placed in solitary confinement as retaliation. Ossoff and Warnock said there are reports that 13 others have been placed in solitary confinement in retaliation.
They are also seeking to know if any of the hunger strikers have received medical attention.
Sandoval's Death Is the Facility's Second
Attention on the facility has intensified.
Their letter demanding answers about the hunger strike comes as an El Salvadorian man detained at the facility, Luis Sandoval, died from an apparent suicide on October 23. Sandoval had not been at the facility long and it was unclear if he was participating in the hunger strike. He was found with a ligature around his neck.
Sandoval is the second person to die at the D Ray James facility. Jaspal Singh died at the facility in April of 2024 after complaining of chest pain. ICE's review of Singh's death determined that the facility's medical care contributed to his death.
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Politicians Spar Over Georgia Facility
Pramilia Jayapal called for the abolishment of ICE.
Sandoval's death also spurred more calls for the abolishment of ICE.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal said of the death in an X post, "Today I received notification of the 60th death in ICE custody since Trump returned to office. Sadly, this appears to be a death by suicide. When our country detains people, we have the responsibility of ensuring both their physical and mental health — not driving them, though incredible cruelty, to commit suicide. Dismantle ICE."
However, Rep. Buddy Carter, a Republican, defended the facility, saying, "Having toured the ICE Processing Center in Folkston, I can assure you that the Trump administration is prioritizing safety."
A Death Every 10 Days
The criticism comes just after Tom Homan complimented ICE care.
Deaths in ICE custody have been occurring roughly once every 10 days since Trump returned to office. The rate far surpasses that of Joe Biden, who saw half the deaths in ICE custody that Trump has overseen in less than two years.
The increased attention on the Folkston facility comes as Border Czar Tom Homan voiced complaints that critics ignore ICE's "highest in industry" standards of care.
