In a harrowing account, a Kurdish film-maker and activist, Gabar Choli, recounts his ordeal at the hands of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in the United States. Choli, a 40-year-old asylum seeker, was subjected to forced feeding for nearly eight months, from late May 2025 until his deportation in January. This treatment, widely condemned as torture by human rights organizations, was a response to Choli's hunger strike, which he initiated to protest harsh conditions and the lack of progress in his immigration case. Choli's story highlights the extreme measures taken by ICE to break hunger strikes, often resulting in severe physical and psychological harm to the detainees.
Choli's experience began at the Port Isabel service processing center in south Texas, where he was detained after being arrested during Donald Trump's anti-immigration crackdown. His hunger strike, demanding improved conditions and a fair resolution to his case, led to solitary confinement and medical isolation. The guards would forcibly insert a feeding tube through his nose and down his throat, pumping nutritional liquid into his stomach, a process that Choli described as excruciating and traumatizing. The repeated insertions caused swollen sinuses, a damaged esophagus, stomach problems, and psychological torment.
The Trump administration has not officially acknowledged force-feeding anyone in immigration jails, but an investigation by the Guardian revealed that at least 10 hunger strikers were subjected to involuntary medical procedures, including force-feeding, since January 2025. The number, however, is likely higher, as sources within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported 18 hunger strikers receiving court orders for involuntary treatment. The DHS spokesperson defended the practice, claiming it is only used when necessary for the individual's health or when other compelling legal or operational interests are involved.
Dr. Chanelle Diaz, an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University's medical center, described the force-feeding as torture, emphasizing the long-term risks it poses to the detainees' health. Choli, a deeply religious Muslim, had been living in Vancouver, Canada, where he campaigned for an independent nation of Kurdistan. His activism drew death threats, leading him to cross into the US in 2022 and request asylum. Despite being denied asylum, he was granted protection from deportation to Iran.
Choli's hunger strike, which he initiated to protest the abuse and mistreatment, was met with resistance from ICE. The agency argued that the strike posed a threat to the security and good order of the facility, and sought court orders to force-feed him. The federal judge, Rolando Olvera, ordered Choli to be force-fed without hearing from him, despite his lack of legal representation. Choli's health deteriorated further, with guards causing injuries and medical staff making errors during the feeding process.
The force-feeding process, which occurred twice daily, became a grim routine for Choli. He suffered from swollen sinuses, damaged organs, and psychological distress. The rapid administration of nutrients triggered stomach problems, and Choli recalled instances of guards causing injuries and medical errors. Despite the harsh treatment, Choli made a deal with the facility staff to drink the nutritional liquids on Fridays, allowing him to socialize with other detainees.
Choli's story highlights the dehumanizing nature of immigration detention and the extreme measures taken by ICE to break hunger strikes. His experience underscores the need for better treatment and legal representation for detained immigrants, as well as a reevaluation of the practices used by ICE to force-feed hunger strikers.
