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Residents and advocates detail medical, plumbing and water-use complaints at Torrance County detention center
Summary
Dozens of public commenters and legal advocates described alleged medical neglect, plumbing failures and high water use at the Torrance County Detention Facility, and urged the Commission to reconsider the county's ICE contract and prioritize local water resources.
Dozens of community members and legal advocates told the Torrance County Commission on Sept. 11 that the county-operated Torrance County Detention Facility (TCDF) has recurring plumbing failures, poor medical care and substantial water consumption that they say strains local water supplies.
Arial Prado of Innovation Law Lab said the facility has been a large consumer of local water and cited internal usage records: “From January through July of this year, TCDF was the fourth greatest consumer of Estancia water…TCDF used well over 200,000 gallons of water per month on average,” she said. Multiple volunteers and attorneys read first‑person statements from people detained at TCDF describing alleged medical neglect, delayed care, slipping hazards caused by leaks, and insufficient food.
Volunteers with the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center and other advocacy groups summarized reports from detainees. David Chavez, a volunteer, read a statement from a man who said he is diabetic and “it's been three months without treatment for my disease,” and urged commissioners to acknowledge the “life‑threatening” gaps in care. Other readers described alleged assaults, delays in medical attention, and chronic plumbing problems that cause flooded cells and foul odors.
Advocates linked those operational concerns to local resource impacts and county oversight. Sofia Genovese, managing attorney at the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, told commissioners that oversight bodies have repeatedly documented deficiencies at TCDF and said county officials should consider whether continuing the facility's contracts is consistent with the county’s values and legal obligations. Innovation Law Lab and volunteers urged the Commission to work with federal oversight and to prioritize county residents' water needs where appropriate.
The Commission did not act on TCDF contracts at the Sept. 11 meeting. Commissioners heard the comments during the public‑comment period and did not vote on facility policy or the county's contract during the session. The meeting packet and video are available on the Torrance County website; advocates said they will press county officials and state oversight agencies for further review.
