ICE Detainees Allege All of Them Have 'Vaginal Infections' After Being Given 'Used and Unwashed' Underwear

Women held at the Diamondback Correctional Facility in Watonga, Oklahoma, allege that 'almost all' female detainees are suffering vaginal infections because they are being given underwear that is used and unwashed. The claim, captured in a leaked video cited in a new federal lawsuit, forms the centrepiece of accusations of 'systemic medical neglect' against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contractors and facility staff.

The video, shared by the advocacy group Injusticias De ICE, was reportedly recorded inside the immigration detention centre. Speaking in Spanish, the woman in the footage says the undergarments they receive are not new, but appear to have been worn before and not properly cleaned. According to the group's translation, she links these conditions directly to the infections she says are spreading among detainees.

The footage surfaced as lawyers for several women held at Diamondback filed a federal lawsuit against ICE contractors and facility employees. The complaint accuses them of 'systemic medical neglect' and describes what it says is a broader pattern of failures that extends beyond the underwear issue.

Among the claims: medical staff did not respond promptly to emergency symptoms, prescriptions were not filled or were delayed, and women were kept in unsanitary conditions that put their health at risk.

'Systemic Medical Neglect' Alleged

Advocates say detainees reported waiting hours or even days to see a nurse, including when they were experiencing heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain or other concerning symptoms. In some cases, according to the lawsuit, women who sought urgent help were told to drink water, lie down and wait.

Requests for gynaecological examinations were allegedly brushed aside or postponed until the women's conditions had worsened, turning manageable problems into more serious health issues.

The organisation Injusticias De ICE has described the situation as one that 'should shock the conscience'. It highlights the underwear allegations in particular as an example of harm that, it says, is entirely avoidable with basic care and oversight.

The group says some detainees were told that the undergarments were being recycled from previous occupants, without assurances they had been adequately laundered.

ICE Standards Versus Detainees' Claims

ICE's own written detention standards state that people in its custody are supposed to receive clean clothing and underwear, along with timely and appropriate medical care. The agency has often said that its facilities are regularly inspected and that any deficiencies identified are addressed. However, ICE has not directly commented on the specific allegations being made about conditions at Diamondback.

For campaigners and attorneys, what is described in the lawsuit reflects concerns that have been raised before. Questions about the treatment of women in ICE custody have surfaced many times over the past decade, including reports of delayed or denied gynaecological care, poorly handled pregnancies and, at some facilities, allegations of non‑consensual or unnecessary medical procedures.

Lawyers for the women at Diamondback argue that the new claims are not isolated or accidental, but part of a broader failure to protect the basic health and dignity of people in detention.

Rights at Stake in a Remote Private Facility

They also say the issues go beyond bureaucratic mistakes. If government officials or contracted staff are deliberately ignoring serious medical needs, that can amount to a violation of constitutional rights. US courts have ruled that 'deliberate indifference' to a person's health while in custody can be unlawful, especially when it results in significant suffering or harm.

Diamondback is a private facility located far from major cities. That isolation, advocates say, makes it harder for family members, journalists and independent observers to see what is happening inside.

This is one reason why videos recorded by detainees and shared on social media have become important, offering rare, first‑hand glimpses into conditions that are otherwise out of public view.

Fear and the Limits of Complaint Systems

ICE maintains that detainees who feel mistreated can file grievances or reach out to an ombudsman. Advocacy organisations say many women are reluctant to complain. They fear retaliation, loss of privileges or other consequences if they speak up against staff in a setting where they already have little control over their daily lives.

The power imbalance is such that formal complaint mechanisms often exist more on paper than in practice, critics argue.

What happens next will depend on the courts and on any investigations by federal inspectors. If judges find that ICE or its contractors failed to meet legal standards for care and sanitation, the Diamondback case could lead to changes at this facility and across the wider detention system.

For the women currently inside, the immediate question is whether the attention on their conditions will result in clean clothing, appropriate medical care and an end to practices they say are making them ill.