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Inside the US Marshals’ Secretive, Deadly Detention Empire
They’re supposed to safeguard pretrial detainees. But America’s oldest law enforcement agency is suffering from a massive dereliction of duty.
by Seth Freed Wessler, Mother Jones
A large rectangle of red dirt on the flat expanse of West Texas’ Permian Basin reminds Sadrac Garcia every day of …
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More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- Public Relations Firm Terminates Contract With GEO Group, by Scott Grammer
- PLN Awarded Injunction in Arizona Prison Censorship Suit, by David M. Reutter
- $10 Million Post-Appeal Settlement in Oklahoma Jail Prisoner Death Suit, by Matthew Clarke
- $850,000 Settlement in Florida DOC Prisoner’s Gassing Murder, by David M. Reutter
- Get Celebrity Endorsement and Get Pardoned, by Douglas Ankney
- 18-Month Prison Sentence for Former Alabama Sheriff in Food Bank Scam, by David M. Reutter
- Court Holds Federal Tort Claim Against BOP Can Proceed in MCC Beating Death, by Kevin Bliss
- Sacramento County Jail Settles Solitary Confinement Class Action Suit, by Scott Grammer
- Santa Rita Sheriff’s Office Says Prisoners Not Being Maltreated; Prisoners’ Protest Says Otherwise, by Kevin Bliss
- Most States Saw Criminal Justice Reforms in 2019, But Incarceration Rates Remain High, by Victoria Law
- $250,000 Settlement in Assault Upon Luzerne County Detainee, by David M. Reutter
- $550,000 Settlement in Nationwide Class-Action Lawsuit Over High-Fee Debit Cards, by Matthew Clarke
- $300,000 Settlement in Lincoln County Missouri Jail Attempted Suicide Suit, by Chad Marks
- Report Decries Ongoing Inadequate Medical Care for Pregnant Arizona Prisoners, by Matthew Clarke
- Veteran Dies After Beating by Guards at North Carolina Jail, by David M. Reutter
- Senator Warren Has Plan To Ban Private Prison Contracts, by Scott Grammer
- Fulton County Ordered to Clean Up Repulsive Jail Conditions for Mentally Ill Women, by David M. Reutter
- Florida Prison Isolation Suit Survives Dismissal Stage, by David M. Reutter
- Alabama Jail Guards Face Liability for Inaction to Methadone Withdrawal Symptoms, by David M. Reutter
- Riots At South Carolina Prison Spark Wave of Lawsuits, by David M. Reutter
- $12.6 Million Jury Award for Man Denied Medical Care Before Jailed, by David M. Reutter
- “Free” E-Tablets Are Anything But, by Edward Lyon
- Federal Prisoner to Receive Opioid Addiction Medication While Incarcerated, by Kevin Bliss
- Cook County Jail’s Three Book Possession Policy Constitutional, by David M. Reutter
- $150,000 Settlement for Opioid Withdrawal Death in Indiana County Jail, by Anthony W. Accurso
- Michigan Finding Success With More Humane Treatment of Mentally Ill Prisoners, by David M. Reutter
- Court Confirms Pennsylvania Prisoner’s Sentence in Tobacco Contraband Case, by David M. Reutter
- Suicide or Murder? Jeffrey Epstein’s Death Still Drawing Attention to Bureau Inadequacies, by Anthony Accurso
- Long-running Maricopa County, Arizona Jail Lawsuit Ends, by Edward Lyon
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Prison Guard’s Rape Convictions, But County Not Liable, by Scott Grammer
- Report Published on Louisiana’s Extensive Use Of Solitary Confinement, by Scott Grammer
- Guard Who Failed to Prevent Escape Entitled to Qualified Immunity, by David M. Reutter
- States Rush to End Prison Gerrymandering Before Districts Are Set For Another 10 years, by Aleks Kajstura
- Court Grants Bail to Ex-Peruvian President Challenging Extradition Due to Solitary Confinement, by Dale Chappell
- California: Qualified Attorney Work-Product Protection Applies to Discovery During Habeas Proceedings, by Douglas Ankney
- Oklahoma Commutations Largest Mass Release in U.S. History, by Kevin Bliss
- States Move for True Second Chance Opportunities, by Kevin Bliss
- Death Highlights Need for Change in Texas GEO-Run Prison, by Kevin Bliss
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Denial of Wisconsin Prisoner’s Request to Marry Psychologist, by Edward Lyon
- Federal Court Orders Videophone Access for Deaf Prisoners in Colorado, by Matthew Clarke
- Hawaii Prisoners Rebel Over Prison Conditions, Fined For Damages, by Kevin Bliss
- $200,000 Settlement in Lawsuit Over Louisiana Jail Guard Sexually Abusing Juvenile, by David M. Reutter
- Pennsylvania GEO-Run Jail Boss Resigns After Media Reveals Complaints of Racism, Abuse at Private Prison, by David M. Reutter
- Louisiana Sheriff Re-Elected Despite Prisoner Death Toll, by Jayson Hawkins
- Major Prison Health Care Companies Funnel Campaign Contributions to Sheriffs, Get Rewards, by David M. Reutter
- $2.5 Million Settlement Over Prisoner’s Restraint Death in Houston, Texas Jail, by Matthew Clarke
- Neither Fines Nor Lawsuits Deter Corizon From Delivering Substandard Health Care, by Matthew Clarke
- $1.15 Million Settlement in Pennsylvania Prisoner’s Asthma Death, by David M. Reutter
- It’s Time For the Feds To Fund College Education For Prisoners, Again, by Anthony W. Accurso
- Oregon Lawmakers Prohibit Prison and Jail Telephone Kickbacks, by Mark Wilson
- Biden’s Current Prison Reform Stance Counter to His Abysmal Record, by David M. Reutter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Lethal Prison Electric Fences May Violate International Law, by Matthew Clarke
- Inside the US Marshals’ Secretive, Deadly Detention Empire, by Seth Freed Wessler
More from Seth Freed Wessler:
- Inside the US Marshals’ Secretive, Deadly Detention Empire, March 3, 2020
More from these topics:
- Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” Gave Massive Handouts to ICE and Private Prison Industry, Aug. 1, 2025. Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, GEO Group/Wackenhut, Immigration.
- Shady Firm Awarded $78 Million Contract for Services at Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz”, Aug. 1, 2025. Private Prisons, Environmental Law, Immigration.
- News in Brief, Aug. 1, 2025. Assault by Police, Misconduct/Corruption, Guard Misconduct, Police Misconduct, Stun Guns/Tasers, Immigration, False Arrest, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of.
- Wisconsin Robbery Suspect Frames Immigrant Detainee with Forged Letters Threatening to Kill Trump, July 15, 2025. Immigration, Fraud and Deceit.
- Massachusetts High Schooler Detained by ICE Caught in “Collateral Arrest”, July 15, 2025. Arrest and Booking, Immigration, Arrest Warrants.
- DHS Removed Sanctuary Cities List After Complaint from Sheriff’s Association, July 15, 2025. Immigration, Enforcement of Immigration Laws, Asylum.
- Understanding Your Constitutional Rights in the ‘100-Mile Border Zone’: A Primer for Non-Citizens in the United States When Confronted by Law Enforcement, July 1, 2025. Immigration, Fifth Amendment, Searches - Border Stops/Searches, Level of Suspicion, Routine vs. Non-Routine Border Searches, Immigration Law/Offenses, Fourth Amendment.
- Salvadoran President’s Dark Secret Allegedly Behind Deal to Hold Deported Migrants in “Mega” Prison, June 1, 2025. Misconduct/Corruption, Conditions of Confinement, Immigration.
- Eleventh Circuit: Asylee’s Florida Convictions for Marijuana Possession and Lewd and Lascivious Battery Do Not Warrant Removal Under INA, Feb. 1, 2025. Immigration, Enforcement of Immigration Laws, Marijuana Laws/Issues, Assault Weapons, Nationality/National Origin.
- The EFF Is Tackling Border Towers, Facilitating Research into Impact of Mass Surveillance, Dec. 15, 2023. Immigration, Electronic Surveillance, Immigration Law/Offenses.

