US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) scaled back its detention facility inspections even as the detained population grew by more than 50 per cent, without adequately assessing the consequences for oversight, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found in a report released on 6 November 2026. The findings have drawn sharp political criticism from Senator Dick Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, who has demanded immediate corrective action from the Trump administration.

Key Findings of the GAO Report

The watchdog found that ICE had not determined whether changes across its inspection programmes collectively provided sufficient scrutiny of detention conditions at facilities holding noncitizens for more than 72 hours. The average daily detained population reached 61,817 in April 2026 — a figure that reflects a dramatic expansion of the detention system under the current administration.

Among the specific changes flagged: a move away from twice-yearly inspections at larger facilities, a greater reliance on self-inspections at smaller sites, and the provision of advance notice before visits. Critics argue these shifts systematically reduced accountability for both ICE and its private contractors at precisely the moment the system was under the greatest strain.

Senator Durbin's Response

Senator Dick Durbin was unsparing in his assessment. 'Now that the power has shifted in Congress, the Trump Administration should take immediate steps to respond to this new alarming GAO report, which found ICE has reduced inspections without assessing the impact on detained individuals,' he said in a statement accompanying the report's release.

Durbin connected the findings to his broader criticism of the administration's immigration policies in the wake of Tuesday's midterm elections. He further alleged that people held in detention lacked adequate access to food, water, and medical care — allegations that form part of his political response rather than the GAO's central evidentiary findings.

ICE's Rationale and the DHS Position

ICE stated its rationale was to reduce the operational burden on facilities and to make it easier to secure detention space through state and local partners, according to the report. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agreed with GAO's two recommendations but requested they be closed as already implemented, citing work already underway. GAO declined, stating that ICE had not supplied evidence of an assessment covering the combined impact of all the changes.

The Lapsed Funding Safeguard

Durbin's office also drew attention to a significant regulatory gap: since fiscal year 2019, appropriations language had barred the continued funding of detention contracts after two consecutive inadequate inspection ratings. That provision was omitted from the fiscal 2026 DHS appropriations law, removing a key financial lever for enforcing standards compliance. Critics argue this omission, combined with the reduced inspection regime, creates a system in which poor-performing facilities face diminished accountability.

What Happens Next

GAO recommended that ICE assess the effects of inspection changes using evidence and adjust its inspection programmes accordingly. Both recommendations remained open as of Thursday. The report provides no breakdown of how many Indian nationals or other specific nationalities were affected by the changes. ICE detains noncitizens pending immigration removal proceedings or the execution of removal orders; its detention standards govern medical care, legal services, and grievance procedures, among other matters. The agency uses both dedicated detention centres and facilities shared with other confined populations. How the administration responds — given its expansive immigration enforcement mandate — will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.