Canadian released by US immigration agency after 9 months in ‘hellhole’

A Canadian who was deported after nine months in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) center in the US state of California said he endured inhumane conditions, CBC News reported Tuesday.

"One relief is that I'll never have to be held in chains again, in a concrete blockhouse behind razor wire," Clayton Herman said in an interview. He earlier called the center a "vile wretched hellhole."

The food was barely edible, there was mould on the detention walls and medical care non-existent, he said.

The Winnipeg-born Canadian was actually forced to endure the conditions twice. ICE agents took him into custody in October 2025. He was then released in June by a judge, but grabbed by ICE again in July. The second time, agents said he violated the conditions of his release on a "glitchy" monitoring device.

Herman entered the US legally 20 years ago but overstayed his visa and was forced to report to ICE at regular intervals since 2022. Then he was put in the detention center in October 2025.

Herman, who has not been convicted of any criminal offense, was ordered released by the judge in June, he was taken into ICE custody again five weeks later. The second arrest occurred when a document appealing his deportation was delayed in the mail, he said.

His troubles are not over.

Herman said he has no job and no identification, and was forced to hand over his Global Affairs Canada emergency travel document upon arrival at the Vancouver airport Aug. 26.

Even so, he is relieved that his now free and back in Canada.

"It's better than being in that inhumane conditions of that filthy, concrete, razor-wired blockhouse down south."