WASHINGTON – Homeland Security’s watchdog agency says it has found rotting food, moldy and dilapidated bathrooms and practices that violated standards at immigration detention facilities.

The Office of Inspector General made unannounced visits to four facilities in California and New Jersey between May and November of last year. The facilities together house about 5,000 detainees.

The inspection of one facility, in Adelanto California, found nooses in detainee cells, overly restrictive segregation of detainees and inadequate medical care.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said they took action at each facility and are working to ensure contractors at the facilities comply with the standards. They say they have already trained food service staff on proper documentation and packaging, and they undertook an extensive cleaning and renovation of housing units.