BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Multiple accounts from pregnant women detained by U.S. immigration agents highlight serious deficiencies in medical care within federal detention facilities. These testimonies were detailed in a letter sent to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), urging the Biden administration to end the detention of expectant mothers.
This letter marks a significant chapter in the ongoing advocacy led by Democratic lawmakers and immigrant rights organizations against the treatment of pregnant women during President Trump’s immigration enforcement actions.
Despite the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) assertions that pregnant detainees receive appropriate prenatal care, including regular checkups and nutritional support, the agency has yet to disclose the exact number of pregnant women currently in custody, a request echoed by lawmakers.
Testimonies compiled in the ACLU letter recount disturbing experiences of pregnant detainees, including being shackled during transport, solitary confinement, and suffering from inadequate food and water supplies in detention facilities located in Louisiana and Georgia. Some women reported severe complications, such as miscarriages and infections attributed to negligence.
During a recent interview, one pregnant woman devised her own care measures, stating that while in handcuffs for a lengthy transport that included hours of flight, she felt particularly vulnerable and helpless, questioning the rationale behind her restraints. How am I going to escape if I’m pregnant? she recalled asking an officer.
The ACLU's letter adds pressure for an investigation into the treatment of pregnant women in detention, as Senate Democrats also expressed their concerns regarding the conditions faced by postpartum and nursing detainees. They have urged the DHS to reassess its policies to avoid detaining these vulnerable populations unless absolutely necessary.
In response, the DHS maintains that the detention of pregnant women is not a common occurrence and emphasizes that such cases are subject to rigorous oversight. Furthermore, they aim to align conditions with community standards of care to provide adequate support for pregnant detainees.
This growing advocacy serves not only to highlight the difficulties experienced by vulnerable immigrants but as a crucial reminder of the ongoing humanitarian discussions surrounding immigration policies in the U.S.
