Hanne Engan

Synopsis

Hanne Engan, originally from Norway and living in San Diego County, says ICE arrested her at a green-card appointment in downtown San Diego in November 2025 after she and her U.S.-citizen husband had applied for adjustment of status. In an interview with Daylight San Diego, Engan said officers separated her from the insulin and glucose-monitoring equipment she relies on for Type 1 diabetes and transported her in restraints before she was held at Otay Mesa Detention Center. Engan said she initially went days with little or no food because she feared eating without insulin, and that she struggled to obtain appropriate diabetes treatment while detained. She told Daylight she was initially treated as a Type 2 diabetic in error, later placed in what she described as "medical isolation," and developed infections linked to elevated blood sugar. She also said she had inadequate access to hygiene supplies and communication while in custody. ICE and CoreCivic disputed key parts of Engan's account in statements to Daylight. ICE said her arrest was based on an expired student visa and that allegations of negligent care were false; CoreCivic said her generalized claims were not true, that facilities had working water and supplies, and that intake property was securely stored. Engan appeared before an immigration judge roughly one week after her arrest, was granted bond, and was released the following day after her husband posted bond, according to the report. After release, she said she discovered suspicious activity on her credit card while she had been detained; responsibility for the compromise was unclear.

Key takeaways

From court records, news reporting, and linked sources below.

  1. Engan says ICE arrested her at a San Diego green-card interview in November 2025 despite a pending application through marriage to a U.S. citizen.
  2. She reported major risks to Type 1 diabetes management in custody, including separation from insulin/monitoring tools, delayed treatment, and an alleged intake misclassification as Type 2 diabetic.
  3. She described medical isolation, overcrowding, poor hygiene conditions, and limited communication while detained at Otay Mesa.
  4. ICE and CoreCivic disputed her negligence claims and said care and facility conditions met standards.
  5. An immigration judge granted bond after about a week, and she was released after bond payment; she later reported possible credit-card compromise during detention.

Reference links

Related

Detention facility

Otay Mesa Detention Center→

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