Dozens of people detained by federal immigration officials are on a hunger strike at the Suffolk County House of Correction.

Rhode Island-based community groups Alliance to Mobilize Our Resistance and the FANG Collective say they've been in contact with some detainees at the jail, who say there are about 70 people participating in a hunger strike that began Friday.

The organizations say the men are protesting abuse by jail officials and "inhumane conditions" such as bad food and broken bathroom fixtures. They also challenge the jail's authority to detain people on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The organizations say the detainees sent jail officialsa list of their grievances on Feb. 10. A jail spokesman confirmed the detainees are refusing set meals, but are still eating their canteen food and drinking fluids.

ICE has not yet responded to requests for comment from WGBH News.

Arely Diaz, a spokesperson for the FANG Collective, told WGBH News that her group has been in contact with some of those who are striking.

"There's not a lot, unfortunately, that folks can do to bring awareness ... but doing a hunger strike is a way to bring attention to the fact that they're not happy," Diaz said. "They're willing to put their bodies on the line ... and their health until they're heard."

Diaz said some of the detainees have been held for weeks. She said she hopes the strike will bring awareness to what she called substandard conditions for ICE detainees.

"We're hoping with this hunger strike, something changes within Suffolk and in Boston in general ... but also bringing to light all of the other places where similar conditions could be happening right now," Diaz said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.