The Department of Homeland Security's internal watchdog has documented serious use-of-force violations and safety concerns at a Louisiana immigration detention facility, according to a newly released report.

Investigators found that staff members at Winn Correctional Center used a prohibited chokehold on a detained individual to "gain control" of the person. In a separate incident, an officer stabbed another detainee in the hand with a pen when the officer was unable to close a door to a housing unit.

The report also identified broader safety and sanitation concerns at the facility, which houses immigrants in federal custody. Winn Correctional Center operates as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Louisiana.

The documented incidents represent violations of established protocols for the treatment of individuals in federal immigration custody. Use-of-force policies typically require officers to use only necessary and proportionate force in specific circumstances.

The DHS Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation as part of its oversight responsibilities for immigration detention facilities. The watchdog office regularly reviews conditions and practices at facilities housing immigrants in federal custody across the United States.