Which specific ODO facility inspection reports from 2009–2016 document use-of-force incidents and how can they be requested via FOIA?
Executive summary
A complete, source-verified inventory of ODO (Office of Detention Oversight) facility inspection reports from 2009–2016 that document use-of-force incidents cannot be produced from the reporting provided because the available ICE and secondary documents do not offer a consolidated, searchable list of reports flagged for use-of-force in that date range [1] [2]. Publicly posted ODO compliance inspections exist in ICE’s FOIA library and individual reports (for example, multiple 2016 facility reports such as Elizabeth, NJ) can and have contained findings that touch on detainee safety and operations—topics that may include use-of-force—but assembling a definitive list requires targeted FOIA searches or direct review of the ICE FOIA Library for each report [3] [2].
1. What the records landscape actually shows
ICE has made ODO compliance inspection reports available through its FOIA/ODO pages and FOIA Library, and individual facility reports from 2016 are explicitly posted in that library (for example, an Elizabeth, NJ report from March 2016 is publicly accessible) [1] [3] [2]. Oversight and advocacy groups note that ICE historically only released many of its inspection reports as a result of FOIA requests, meaning the public corpus is partial and often FOIA-driven rather than proactively comprehensive [4]. ICE guidance and internal documents describe that final ODO reports are to be posted to the ICE FOIA Library, and that the FOIA Library is the place to check for released inspection reports [5] [2].
2. Why a definitive 2009–2016 list is not present in the sources
None of the provided sources supplies an indexed catalogue of ODO reports from 2009–2016 filtered by “use-of-force” incidents or even a searchable tag set for that specific allegation type; ICE’s FOIA pages list individual inspections but do not offer, in the excerpts provided, a pre-built list of reports specifically documenting use-of-force during 2009–2016 [1] [2]. Independent reporting and advocacy (NIJC) emphasize that much of what the public knows about detention conditions and force comes through FOIA-extracted reports and litigation, which implies that compiling an authoritative list requires running FOIA queries or manually reviewing the FOIA Library’s reports for the term “use of force” or equivalent phrasing [4].
3. Concrete examples that should be examined first
The ICE FOIA library contains discrete compliance inspection reports from 2016—including an Elizabeth, NJ compliance inspection report—that illustrate the type of ODO documentation available and should be reviewed for any findings related to use-of-force or detainee safety [3] [2]. The ICE ODO site itself lists individual facility inspections by date and location (for example, Allegany County Jail and Atlanta City Detention Center in 2016), providing starting points for targeted review or FOIA requests to pull full reports and appendices where use-of-force incidents would be recorded [1].
4. How to request these records via FOIA — practical, evidence-based steps
Submit a FOIA to ICE’s FOIA office requesting “Office of Detention Oversight compliance inspection reports and associated appendices and UCAPs (Uniform Corrective Action Plans) for [list facilities] and/or for all ODO inspections from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2016 that include the keywords ‘use of force’, ‘force incident’, ‘restraint’, or similar,” and cite that many ODO reports are stored in ICE’s FOIA library and that ICE posts final reports there [1] [2] [5]. If uncertain which facilities to name, ask broadly for all ODO compliance inspection final reports and related documents in that date range and request a search for the terms above; ICE’s FOIA office and FOIA Library are the appropriate channels [1] [2]. Follow FOIA best practices: be specific about date ranges and keywords, request fee waivers for news or public-interest use where applicable, and ask for records in electronic format to speed review (FOIA guidance and agency FOIA reading rooms recommend specificity and point to electronic posting obligations) [6] [7] [8].
5. Strategic next steps and caveats for researchers
Start by searching ICE’s FOIA Library for the facilities and years in question, review posted 2016 reports (such as Elizabeth, NJ) for language on force or restraint, then file narrowly tailored FOIA requests for unposted reports or for full case files that include incident logs and UCAPs if use-of-force language appears lacking; recognize advocacy reports show that many useful ODO documents have only become public through FOIA, so expect follow-up requests and possible redactions [2] [3] [4]. The reporting available does not allow a verbatim, closed list of all ODO reports documenting use-of-force in 2009–2016; obtaining that list is a discrete FOIA and review task grounded in the steps above [1] [4].