A coalition of civil rights organisations has accused US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of medical neglect of pregnant detainees, reporting cases of miscarriages, delayed care, shackling, and solitary confinement. In a letter sent on Wednesday to ICE and Senate committees, groups including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Robert F Kennedy Human Rights detailed interviews with over a dozen women held in detention centres in Louisiana and Georgia.
The letter states that ICE has violated its own guidance by detaining pregnant individuals, particularly those involved in domestic disputes. It highlights six specific cases, including a woman identified as 'Alicia', who was detained in Basile, Louisiana, and suffered severe abdominal pain, bleeding, and a miscarriage after receiving inadequate food and medical care. She was allegedly subjected to an invasive procedure without consent and deported two months later.
Another woman, 'Lucia', was detained in Lumpkin, Georgia, and experienced heavy bleeding and cramping. Medical staff left her alone in a room, and she was later transported to hospital while shackled, where she was told she had miscarried. A third woman, 'Marie', was placed in solitary confinement for at least three days and denied prenatal vitamins, with a nurse reportedly telling her she would not die without them.
The letter also describes cases of women being shackled during transport, receiving substandard prenatal care, and being denied interpretation services. Advocates are urging ICE to conduct an immediate review and release all pregnant detainees, providing a clear process for requesting timely release.
