Critical Evidence Disappeared After "System Crash"
Individuals detained at the ICE Broadview Detention Center have filed a class-action lawsuit alleging abusive treatment and inhumane conditions, including overcrowding and denial of basic necessities. The day after this lawsuit was filed, the government informed a federal court that nearly two weeks' worth of surveillance video footage from inside the facility —covering the timeframe when the alleged abuse occurred — was lost due to a "system crash" on October 31, 2025, just one day after the complaint was filed on October 30.
Government attorneys stated in court that the footage is "irretrievably destroyed," and when questioned, suggested they lack the resources to retain all surveillance video from all cameras indefinitely. Plaintiffs' lawyers find the timing and circumstances highly concerning and are worried about the preservation of evidence. In their filings, the government has offered to produce limited video from earlier and later periods; however, the specific interval from approximately October 20 to October 30, right before the lawsuit, is reported as unrecoverable.
Is it even possible for such extensive footage to be lost? The term "system crash" alone does not adequately explain the complete disappearance of two weeks’ worth of video. We'll consider the technical possibilities after the jump



