ACLU launches legal claims in 17 states against immigration detention conditions, including Texas

The ACLU filed more than 50 tort claims across 17 states and Washington, D.C., alleging immigration officials neglected detainees' medical and food needs, the Texas Tribune reported. A central case is Elton Purvis, a 55-year-old legal permanent resident from Trinidad and Tobago with Type 1 diabetes, who was arrested May 13, 2025 at Boston Logan International Airport and held seven months, primarily at the South Texas Detention Complex in Pearsall, Texas. Purvis alleges guards confiscated his diabetes and malaria medications, that he was found unresponsive at least three times and hospitalized repeatedly for dangerous blood sugar levels, and that staff ignored more than 100 grievances before his December 2025 deportation. He is seeking $10 million.