Kurdish detainee force-fed for eight months in US immigration custody
Court records and man's account describe prolonged hunger strike met with repeated involuntary feeding before his deportation
HOUSTON (MNTV) — A Kurdish filmmaker held in U.S. immigration detention was forcibly fed for eight months during a hunger strike, an account backed by court records that has renewed concern over how detainees who refuse food in protest are treated.
Gabar Choli, now in Canada after being deported, said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) repeatedly restrained him and inserted a feeding tube through his nose, leaving lasting physical and psychological harm.
He began the strike to protest conditions and demand action on his case; after his asylum claim was denied, he was detained in February 2025 and later moved to the Port Isabel detention center in Texas.
Court records reviewed by The Guardian show force-feeding continued from late May 2025 until his deportation in January 2026, with ICE repeatedly seeking court authorization — and extensions — for involuntary hydration, testing, and feeding.
Choli said guards restrained him during the procedures and that he suffered injuries to his nose, throat, and digestive system; court records document swollen sinuses, esophageal damage, and stomach problems.
Some details could not be independently verified because parts of the record remain sealed. International medical and human-rights bodies widely regard the force-feeding of competent hunger strikers as a violation of bodily autonomy and, in some circumstances, cruel or degrading treatment.
ICE and the Department of Homeland Security say involuntary treatment is used only when a detainee faces serious risk of death or permanent harm and a court has authorized it, and is carried out by medical professionals.
DHS sources told The Guardian that ICE obtained such court orders for 18 hunger strikers between January 2025 and August 2026.
Choli’s case appears among the longest documented instances in ICE custody; he spent months challenging his detention without legal representation. Because immigration detainees are held in civil, not criminal, proceedings, the use of coercive medical measures against them is especially contested.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
