5 Shocking Allegations: Unpacking The Controversies At The Doña Ana County Detention Center In 2025
The Doña Ana County Detention Center (DACDC) in Las Cruces, New Mexico, is currently at the epicenter of a firestorm of controversy, with multiple civil rights lawsuits and public outcry dominating headlines as of December 23, 2025. The facility, which serves as a county jail and a site for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees, faces serious allegations that paint a disturbing picture of inmate treatment and operational practices. The most recent legal challenges focus on practices described by former detainees as violent, unwarranted, and a profound violation of their constitutional rights.
This article dives deep into the most pressing issues and latest updates surrounding the DACDC, examining the key entities involved, the nature of the lawsuits, and the facility's role in the broader immigration detention landscape. The severity of the claims has spurred significant action from civil rights groups, demanding immediate and fundamental reform within the facility.
Key Entities and Facility Profile
The Doña Ana County Detention Center (DACDC) is a critical piece of the correctional infrastructure in Southern New Mexico, but its operations extend beyond typical county jail functions. Understanding the facility requires a look at its leadership and dual role.
- Official Name: Doña Ana County Detention Center (DACDC)
- Location: Las Cruces, Doña Ana County, New Mexico
- Leadership: The facility is led by Director Bryan Baker.
- Staffing: The DACDC operates with a staff of approximately 197 individuals, including administrative, security, support, and medical personnel.
- Dual Function: While primarily serving as the county's jail for local pre-trial and sentenced inmates, the DACDC also holds a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
- ICE Connection: The facility is listed as a Contract Detention Facility (CDF) and sometimes operates in conjunction with the nearby Fort Bliss – Doña Ana Training Complex, particularly for holding detained immigrants.
- Oversight: The facility is managed by Doña Ana County, with policies and contracts, including a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with AFSCME 1529, publicly available.
The Lawsuits: Inmates Used as 'Training Guinea Pigs'
The most shocking and recent controversy centers on a civil rights lawsuit filed by six former detainees in late 2024 and early 2025. This lawsuit alleges practices that are both unconstitutional and deeply dehumanizing.
Allegation 1: Violent and Unwarranted Training Exercises
The core of the lawsuit alleges that the DACDC’s Special Operations and Response Team (SORT) conducted violent and unwarranted "training exercises" using inmates as unwilling participants. The detainees claim they were subjected to tactical drills by armed detention officers in tactical gear, creating a terrifying and abusive environment.
- The SORT Team: The lawsuit specifically targets the DACDC's Special Operations and Response Team, which is supposed to handle high-risk situations.
- Inmate Testimony: One former inmate described the experience, stating, "They treated us like guinea pigs for their training games."
- Psychological Trauma: The plaintiffs report suffering severe psychological distress, with one former inmate stating, "Now I can't sleep right," due to the trauma.
The filing seeks to immediately end the jail's practice of conducting these violent, simulated emergency drills on the incarcerated population.
Allegation 2: Systemic Failures in Mental Health Care
Separate from the training controversy, the DACDC has been the subject of long-standing scrutiny over its inadequate mental health services. Civil rights groups, including the ACLU, filed a lawsuit alleging poor mental health care and screening within the detention center.
- The Settlement: In a significant legal development, the ACLU and its partners reached a landmark settlement agreement with Doña Ana County.
- Reform Deadline: This settlement mandates substantial improvements to the jail's mental health care system, with a deadline for implementation set for August 2025.
- Required Changes: The reforms are aimed at ensuring improved mental health care and screening processes for all individuals detained at the facility, addressing a critical and often neglected aspect of inmate welfare.
ICE Detainees and Inhumane Conditions
The DACDC's role as an ICE detention facility has also brought it under the microscope, with allegations of severe medical neglect and inhumane conditions for detained immigrants.
The Immigration Detention Crisis
Reports from immigrants detained at the facility, sometimes referred to as the Doña Ana Training Complex in this context, detail a pattern of physical abuse and severe medical neglect. These accounts highlight the broader challenges and ethical concerns associated with contracting county jails for federal immigration detention.
- Severe Neglect: Detained immigrants have described severe medical neglect, where serious health issues are allegedly ignored or inadequately treated.
- Physical Abuse: Accounts also include allegations of physical abuse by staff, adding to the climate of fear and suffering within the facility.
- Legal Concerns: The use of county facilities for ICE holds has previously led to legal concerns, pushing counties to limit or re-evaluate their cooperation with ICE detainers.
The combination of local inmate civil rights lawsuits and the persistent issues raised by immigrant rights groups paints a picture of a facility struggling with systemic oversight and accountability. The outcomes of the ongoing lawsuits and the successful implementation of the mental health settlement in 2025 will be crucial indicators of the DACDC's future and its commitment to constitutional standards of care.
The Path Forward: Accountability and Reform
The numerous legal battles and public scrutiny have placed immense pressure on Doña Ana County officials and the DACDC administration, led by Director Bryan Baker. The current situation demands a comprehensive approach to reform that addresses both the immediate crisis of alleged abuse and the long-term systemic failures in inmate care.
- Increased Oversight: There is a clear need for increased independent oversight of the facility’s operations, particularly regarding the use of tactical teams like SORT and their interactions with the general inmate population.
- Transparency: Greater transparency in facility operations, including the release of body camera footage from incidents like the alleged training exercises, is a key demand from civil rights advocates.
- Compliance: Full and timely compliance with the landmark mental health settlement agreement is paramount to ensuring that detainees receive constitutionally adequate medical and psychological care.
As the legal processes unfold, the Doña Ana County Detention Center remains a focal point for the national conversation on correctional standards, civil rights, and the ethical implications of the detention system in the United States. The year 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal period that will determine whether the DACDC can move past these shocking allegations and establish a truly humane and lawful environment for all those in its custody.
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