Photo via The Independent

ICE accused of using ‘burrito’ restraint on immigrants as punishment

Read the original at The Independent ↗
Cite

Farrell, P. (2026, September 25). ICE accused of using ‘burrito’ restraint on immigrants as punishment. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/aclu-ice-wrap-restraint-lawsuit-b3056523.html

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

The Independent · collected 2026-09-25 · by Paul Farrell

Quick Summary

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles, demanding release of internal records about the use of WRAP, a full-body restraint system nicknamed "the burrito" or "the bag." The lawsuit claims that ICE uses this device excessively on immigrants during deportation flights and as punishment for speaking out against their removal or contacting legal counsel. Reports indicate severe health risks including difficulty breathing and loss of sensation due to improper use of the WRAP, with medical experts warning about potential fatal consequences from prolonged restraint.
Written by AI on 2026-09-25, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

In January 2024, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California filed a lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles federal court, demanding access to internal documents regarding the use of the WRAP, a full-body restraint system nicknamed "the burrito" or "the bag." The lawsuit alleges that detainees are immobilized for long periods during deportation operations, leading to increased risks of breathing difficulties and circulatory complications. Medical experts warn this can be particularly dangerous for individuals with heart or lung conditions. The ACLU claims ICE staff have used the WRAP improperly as a form of punishment rather than just for safety reasons, citing reports of detainees experiencing difficulty breathing, chest pressure, loss of sensation, and serious injuries.

Written for “ICE Immigrant Restraint Practices” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 ICE Immigrant Restraint Practices
Politics · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads leans left and hedges 33% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
The Guardian
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 1 of 27 claims Outlet record 66/100
“The articles describe different aspects of ICE activities; one focuses on a journalist being tackled during protests in Minneapolis, while the other discusses a lawsuit related to WRAP restraint systems in Los Angeles.”
The Guardian
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 1 of 24 claims Outlet record 66/100
“Article A discusses a specific incident involving injuries to a US citizen detained by ICE, while Article B reports on a lawsuit regarding the use of full-body restraint systems called 'burritos' in immigration custody.”
Fox News
Hedges 3 of 13 claims Outlet record 69/100
“The articles describe different events; one is a lawsuit regarding restraint systems in Los Angeles, while the other describes an ICE raid involving food truck workers fleeing in Tallahassee, Florida.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
12
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
33%
4 of 12 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans left
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
59/100
The Independent's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-25 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

The Independent · 3473 article(s) · 8 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 8 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Paul Farrell
40 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Before joining the Joint Staff, Sylvia commanded the storied 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, until May 2025.
🔮 The sheriff hoped that, despite the adverse weather conditions, the college students would be found “hunkered down” somewhere.
🔮 Nathan Johnson leads Mayes Middleton 47% to 45% in the contest for attorney general.
🔮 Consumers who believe they are helping abandoned or mistreated animals may instead be financially supporting commercial breeding operations, including puppy mills.
🔮 Terry is expected to be extradited from California.
🔮 Someone could unknowingly cross paths with him without realizing the danger they may be in,” the unnamed woman said.
🔮 Investigators could not find a phone number for Unglesbee, and a Facebook message sent to a Matthew Unglesbee in Quincy was not immediately returned.
🔮 Listed on the California Register of Historical Resources, the sign will undergo repairs at a Nevada facility operated by YESCO, a company known for maintaining neon signs, including the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign.
🔮 MAESTRO could substantially accelerate this process.
🔮 Viral "looksmaxxing" streamer Braden Peters — the self-proclaimed online beauty guru who built a massive following as "Clavicular" — is set to be arraigned in a Massachusetts court on bombshell criminal charges alleging he intoxicated and raped a 17-year-old girl at his family's Cape Cod home.
Also by Paul Farrell
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 40 articles by Paul Farrell →

Topics

ACLU ICE Independent Los Angeles WRAP

Subjects

ICE ORG · 6× ACLU ORG · 3× Los Angeles GPE · 2× Congress ORG · 1× Independent ORG · 1× U.S. GPE · 1× U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ORG · 1× the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California ORG · 1× the Associated Press ORG · 1× the Department of Homeland Security's ORG · 1×

Narrative

When deployed during deportation operations, detainees were immobilized for long stretches in poses creating heightened risks of breathing difficulties and circulatory complications, the lawsuit alleges, noting medical experts have warned that extended restraint in seated or forward-leaning positions increases asphyxiation risks, particularly for individuals with heart or lung conditions.
framing: mixed · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-25
🔮 The ACLU also maintains that the current ICE Air Operations Handbook "provides little substantive guidance concerning when, how or under what safeguards the device may be deployed." The lawsuit, brought under the Freedom of Information Act, seeks agency records to clarify the scope and manner of ICE's use of the WRAP, the operational standards governing its deployment, and official oversight regarding safety and legal compliance.
2026-09-25 · The Independent
ICE accused of using ‘burrito’ restraint on immigrants as punishment · mixed framing

Claims (12 extracted, 4 hedged)

A civil rights organization has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles today, seeking the release of official agency records concerning the deployment of the WRAP, a full-body restraint system used on detainees in immigration custody and during transport and removal operations. asserted
organization → file → operations
Informally called "the burrito" or "the bag," the WRAP is repeatedly used on immigrants during long deportation flights and for extended periods, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. uncertain
WRAP → call → California
"Individuals subjected to the device have reported difficulty breathing, chest pressure, loss of sensation and serious injuries, while medical and use-of-force experts have warned that prolonged or improper use of full-body restraints can create significant risks of positional asphyxia, circulatory distress and death," states the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles federal court. asserted
lawsuit → subject → court
The ACLU asserts that accounts indicate ICE staff have employed the WRAP as a form of punishment for undocumented people who spoke out against their deportation or tried to contact legal counsel. asserted
who → assert → counsel
Such reports "are particularly troubling given longstanding questions about the policies and safeguards" regulating ICE's deployment of the equipment, according to the court complaint. uncertain
reports → give → complaint
A message seeking comment sent to ICE was not immediately answered after standard business hours. asserted
message → seek → hours
In November 2024, as part of its annual report to Congress, the Department of Homeland Security's civil rights oversight office opened a complaint alleging ICE "inappropriately" used the WRAP and failed to operate the equipment in accordance with manufacturer guidelines, "which caused breathing difficulty and pain, failed to consider medical and psychological conditions prior to use and lacked sufficient monitoring," according to the 21-page legal filing. uncertain
which → open → filing
The ACLU also maintains that the current ICE Air Operations Handbook "provides little substantive guidance concerning when, how or under what safeguards the device may be deployed." The lawsuit, brought under the Freedom of Information Act, seeks agency records to clarify the scope and manner of ICE's use of the WRAP, the operational standards governing its deployment, and official oversight regarding safety and legal compliance. uncertain
lawsuit → maintain → safety
"The requested records are necessary to evaluate whether ICE's practices comport with constitutional requirements, medically accepted standards and the agency's own policies and obligations," the ACLU stated. asserted
ACLU → request → requirements
When deployed during deportation operations, detainees were immobilized for long stretches in poses creating heightened risks of breathing difficulties and circulatory complications, the lawsuit alleges, noting medical experts have warned that extended restraint in seated or forward-leaning positions increases asphyxiation risks, particularly for individuals with heart or lung conditions. asserted
restraint → deploy → conditions
"Individuals described an inability to breathe, chest pressure and loss of sensation while restrained," the suit says. asserted
suit → describe → sensation
The lawsuit notes an October 2025 report in which the Associated Press identified 12 fatal incidents over the past decade "where local police or jailers around the U.S. used the WRAP and autopsies determined `restraint' played a role in the death." asserted
restraint → note → death
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support