Detainees allege gas leak, extreme heat at Mississippi ICE facility; CoreCivic disputes claims
Aug 14, 2026·Location: Natchez, MS

Detainees held at the Adams County Correctional Center, an ICE facility near Natchez, Mississippi operated by CoreCivic, reported smelling gas on August 8, followed by a power outage beginning August 10 that left the facility without air conditioning for about two days. Detainees said they were evacuated into afternoon heat approaching 100 degrees for hours, suffered headaches and other symptoms, and were denied medical care, with cells meant for two people holding three. One detainee's wife said detainees were also denied tablet devices during the disruption and feared retaliation, including solitary confinement, if seen as organizing. CoreCivic disputed the accounts, stating no gas leak was found, the outage lasted about two hours with generators functioning, air conditioning was never interrupted, and no one was denied medical care. A subsequent inspection found 23 use-of-force or restraint violations, resulting in a downgrade of the facility's rating.
Timeline
Sources
- People detained at Mississippi ICE facility say they were sickened by gas leak and denied medical care
The Guardian·Aug 14, 2026·archived copy
- Detainees Describe Gas, Extreme Heat and Medical Problems at Mississippi ICE Facility — Is America Better Yet?
is-america-better-yet-1.ghost.io·Aug 14, 2026·archived copy
- Approximately 100 detainees protest inside CoreCivic-owned Natchez ICE facility after hot food and hot water are halted ...Middle East
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