Did ICE agents arrest and deport Pizza Hut employees? Viral Facebook video debunked

Last week (on Sunday, November 9), a video of ICE agents leading detained employees of a Pizza Hut outlet was posted on Facebook. As the employees moved out the front door, a man in the background was heard saying:

"Let's go! Keep moving! Hands behind you back... Watch your step. Watch the puddle." 

Meanwhile, one of the employees said: "I didn't do anything, man."

The clip went viral soon - with more than 40 million views - leading to rumors about ICE agents arresting and deporting those Pizza Hut employees.

However, Snopes.com has reported that the viral video was a fake one and was generated using AI. Two days after the video was posted, its owner account added a disclaimer in its intro section that read:

"This video is created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for entertainment and creative purposes only. The characters, voices, and scenes shown are not real and do not represent actual people or events."

​Chicago's ICE facility is under scrutiny after complaints of inhumane conditions

Besides the fake video of ICE agents going viral, the department has also made headlines for an upcoming inspection at the Broadview ICE facility in Chicago. 

Per Fox News, the inspection at the facility is going to take place on Thursday, November 13, by a team of attorneys and a federal judge, in response to reports of unsanitary and overcrowding.

The news outlet reports that the inspection was ordered last week, in a Chicago federal court, where multiple detainees from the Broadview ICE facility testified about not having access to adequate food, water, or their phones. 

They also spoke about having to sleep on concrete floors without any blankets. Their toilets were allegedly overflowing, with no shower or privacy. 

Supporting the detainees' demand for basic amenities, attorney Kevin Fee said:

"They’re denied access to basic amenities. Naturally, they’re denied access to their lawyers. And that’s one of the most important parts of this lawsuit is getting people access to their lawyers to assert their rights in court."

Meanwhile, Toni Preckwinkle, president of the Cook County Board, called the conditions in the ICE facility "abhorrent and degrading," adding:

"While the Trump administration continues to weaponize federal agencies and tear families apart, our community is standing up for decency, compassion, and justice."

The judge has since ordered for all detainees to have clean bedding, a clean mat, three full meals, and sufficient sleeping space. They're also to be provided a clean toilet, soap, towels, toilet paper, oral hygiene and menstrual products in adequate amounts. 

In addition to these, they're also granted access to any prescribed medication they possessed at the time of arrest, alongside proper storage. They are also to be provided telephone services and a list of pro bono attorneys for their representation.

These orders were given out last Friday, with the DHS tasked with ​making the required improvements at the facility. After the inspection takes place, the progress will be reviewed in court next week, on November 19. 

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