{
  "id": 14930743,
  "title": "Detainees at a third U.S. immigration detention center go on hunger strike, including Russian nationals",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/detainees-at-a-third-u-s-immigration-detention-center-go-on-hunger",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T10:09:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Meduza (English)",
    "slug": "meduza-english",
    "url": "https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/10/16/detainees-at-a-third-u-s-immigration-detention-center-go-on-hunger-strike-including-russian-nationals"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nearly three dozen people have initiated a hunger strike at El Valle immigration detention center in Texas, according to the mother of one of the participants. Fifteen women began the strike on October 11, followed by 20 men, including Russians, a few days later. The protesters allege substandard living conditions and inadequate medical attention, demanding their rights be respected. One hunger striker's husband revealed to journalists that, despite the rules, prison staff fails to monitor the health of those refusing food: \"The administration bluntly informs them there's only one escape from detention – deportation. They say, if you wish, sit there and starve. If you expire, we'll cart you away and bury you.\" This incident marks the third U.S. immigration detention center to witness a hunger strike. In early October, asylum seekers at D. Ray James immigration detention facility in Georgia lodged a collective grievance over detention conditions and announced their intention to commence a hunger strike. According to Vot Tak, detainees at Winn immigration detention facility in Louisiana have also embarked on a hunger strike. Russians detained at D. Ray James complained about subpar food, communication difficulties, and the absence of medical care even with severe pain. Facility administrators threatened detainees with deportation and relocation to their \"cozy Gulag.\" About 500 individuals are reportedly involved in the hunger strike at D. Ray James. On October 11, Agentstvo, an independent Russian investigative news outlet, reported that Idris Makhmudov, a Russian participant in the Georgia hunger strike, had been deported from the U.S. Around 40 protesters were subsequently placed in solitary confinement, sources disclosed to Agentstvo. Meduza, committed to transparency in its use of artificial intelligence, produced this report. The article was authored by one of our human journalists and translated from Russian using an AI model that adheres to strict editorial standards. This translation process has undergone extensive testing and refinement to guarantee timely and precise English-language coverage. An editor from Meduza scrutinizes every draft prior to publication. Should you identify any inaccuracies in this translation, please reach out to reports@meduza.io. For access to Meduza's exclusive English content, consider subscribing to our newsletter.",
  "summary": "More than 30 people have gone on hunger strike at the El Valle immigration detention facility in Texas, the mother of one of the protesters told Vot Tak.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Euromaidan Press",
        "title": "One Ukraine out-produced third of EU’s steel. Russian strikes have now cut its output to zero",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/one-ukraine-out-produced-third-of-eus-steel-russian-strikes-have-now",
        "published": "2026-10-16T09:55:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Meduza (English)",
        "title": "Russian drone attack injures 7 in Ukraine’s Rivne",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/russian-drone-attack-injures-7-in-ukraines-rivne",
        "published": "2026-10-16T09:56:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Voice of Ukraine",
        "title": "EU will not lift any Russian sanctions until war in Ukraine ends — von der Leyen",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/eu-will-not-lift-any-russian-sanctions-until-war-in-ukraine-ends-von",
        "published": "2026-10-16T10:53:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Kyiv Independent",
        "title": "Ukrainian military strikes million-dollar Russian radar in Krasnodar Krai, General Staff claim",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/ukrainian-military-strikes-million-dollar-russian-radar-in-krasnodar",
        "published": "2026-10-16T11:11:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Interfax-Ukraine",
        "title": "No ammonia leak threat in Volyn region after Russian strikes – official",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/no-ammonia-leak-threat-in-volyn-region-after-russian-strikes-official",
        "published": "2026-10-16T11:37:28.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}