In June 2025, a Kurdish asylum seeker named Gabar Choli, a 40-year-old film-maker and activist for an independent Kurdistan, was subjected to a harrowing ordeal in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Texas. Choli, who had been on a hunger strike for over two months, demanding improved conditions for detained immigrants and to be released or deported, was forcibly fed through a nasogastric (NG) tube by ICE medical staff. This process, known as force-feeding, is widely condemned by human rights organizations as torture.
Choli's experience was not an isolated incident. He met another hunger striker, an Afghan man, who was also forcibly fed in the same ICE facility. The Trump administration has not officially acknowledged force-feeding anyone in immigration jails, but an investigation by the Guardian found that since January 2025, the administration has used court orders to subject at least 10 hunger strikers in ICE detention to involuntary medical procedures, including force-feeding.
Choli's hunger strike, which he began in March 2025, was a last resort to protest against harsh conditions and the lack of progress in his immigration case. However, it brought only harsher conditions, including swollen sinuses, a damaged esophagus, stomach problems, and psychological torment. The force-feeding process, which involved wrestling him to the ground, shackling his wrists and ankles, and inserting a tube through his nose, was excruciating and traumatizing.
Choli's experience highlights the brutal treatment of immigrants and refugees in the US, particularly those who are detained by ICE. The use of force-feeding as a means of coercion and control is a clear violation of human rights and a form of torture. It is a stark reminder of the dehumanizing nature of the immigration system and the urgent need for reform.
Choli's story is a powerful testament to the resilience and determination of those who are fighting for their rights and dignity. His experience serves as a stark reminder of the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity and injustice.
