Hunger-striking Cuban man in ICE custody ordered force-fed by surgical tube
A Cuban man held near Houston went on a hunger strike and was force-fed under a judge's order, including approval for a surgical feeding tube, though DHS later said he had resumed eating.
Sep 1, 2026Conroe, TXCountry of origin: Cuba

An unnamed Cuban man detained at the GEO Group-run Montgomery ICE Processing Center near Houston, Texas, was arrested by ICE on July 22 and declared a hunger striker three days later. DHS says he entered the U.S. unlawfully in 1980, was ordered deported in 2004, and has prior convictions; he currently lacks legal representation and many of his court records are sealed. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen authorized force-feeding, first via nasogastric tube and later approving a rare, nonconsensual surgical gastrostomy (PEG) tube procedure, with the order extended into September. DHS later said the man had resumed eating and drinking and was not being force-fed, though it remains unconfirmed whether the surgical procedure was performed. ACLU of Texas attorney Savannah Kumar and civil rights attorney Eunice Cho criticized the tactics as torturous, noting the case is likely the 19th in which ICE has sought court approval for involuntary medical procedures on hunger-striking detainees since January 2025.
Timeline
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Sources
- ICE given permission to force-feed Cuban hunger striker with gastric tube
The Guardian·Sep 5, 2026·archived copy
- Federal Judge Authorises ICE To Force-Feed Cuban Detainee on Hunger Strike With Surgical Feeding Tube
International Business Times·Sep 6, 2026·archived copy
- ICE Given Permission to Force-Feed Cuban Hunger Striker in Texas
Federal Character·Sep 5, 2026
- ICE given permission to force-feed Cuban hunger striker with gastric tube | US immigration
- Judge Authorizes ICE To Force‑Feed Cuban Detainee — Permission Includes Surgical PEG Tube
CRBC News·Sep 5, 2026
- ICE Got a Judge to Approve Stomach Surgery on a Man Who Refused to Eat
The Dingo Daily·Sep 5, 2026
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