Fact check: What were the conditions like in detention centers built during Obama's presidency?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, detention centers built during Obama's presidency were characterized by harsh and problematic conditions. The ACLU described these facilities as having "cruel and inhumane" conditions, where families were locked up specifically to deter others from seeking refuge in the United States ^[1]. Legal advocates characterized the situation as a "due process and humanitarian disaster" with reports of medical and mental health issues among detained mothers and children ^[2].

The physical infrastructure included chain-link fencing used to create partitions in detention facilities, which were indeed constructed during the Obama administration ^[3]. Children were held in crowded cells with limited amenities ^[4]. The Obama administration maintained 34,000 detention beds through contracts with guaranteed minimums that required ICE to fill all available spaces ^[5].

Former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson acknowledged that conditions "were not perfect" but argued the Obama administration tried to be sensitive to migrants' needs ^[6]. However, the administration faced growing pressure from lawsuits and advocacy groups to change detention policies ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several crucial contextual elements revealed in the analyses:

• Policy justification: The Obama administration explicitly defended family detention as necessary to "send a message to Central American families" ^[1], indicating a deliberate deterrence strategy rather than merely inadequate facilities.
• Legal challenges: There were active class-action lawsuits challenging detention conditions in Border Patrol facilities during this period ^[5], suggesting widespread legal opposition to the practices.
• Political pressure: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and other political figures were actively criticizing Obama's detention policies ^[5], indicating bipartisan concern about conditions.
• Comparative context: Johnson argued that while conditions weren't perfect under Obama, the situation became worse under subsequent administrations due to larger numbers of migrants ^[6].
• Asylum claims: Most detained families had legitimate asylum claims according to advocacy groups ^[1], suggesting the detention of potentially valid refugees rather than just immigration violators.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral but potentially understates the severity and intentionality of the detention conditions. The phrasing "conditions like" suggests a focus on physical circumstances while omitting the deliberate policy framework that created these conditions as a deterrence mechanism ^[1].

The question also lacks acknowledgment that these facilities became the subject of significant legal and political controversy during Obama's presidency itself ^[5], not just in retrospective analysis. This omission could lead to the misconception that criticism of these facilities only emerged later, when in fact there was contemporaneous opposition from civil rights organizations, legal advocates, and political figures during the Obama administration.