Health Crisis for Disabled Detainee in US Immigration Custody
The physical condition of Rodney Taylor, a 46-year-old double amputee held at the Stewart detention centre in Lumpkin, Georgia, has significantly deteriorated during his nearly year-long detention by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Taylor, who is also missing three fingers on one hand, reported that his confinement is 'draining on my body'.
Worsening Medical Conditions and Family Strain
Taylor has received a new diagnosis of bone spurs in his back, causing him severe pain. Compounding his suffering, the silicone lining on one of his prosthetic legs has broken down, leading to painful chafing and boils. His fiancée, Mildred Pierre, confirmed he has also been struggling with high blood pressure, resulting in dizziness, headaches, and a prickly sensation in his right arm, which necessitated a recent change in medication.
The family's ordeal extends beyond medical concerns. Pierre recently undertook a 300-mile round trip with five of their seven children to visit Taylor at Stewart. Upon arrival, she was informed of a new policy limiting visits to two adults and three children. With two of her children being over 18, Pierre was forced to wait in the car so the others could see their father, a visit that was their first in two months.
Political Intervention and Legal Battles
Taylor's case has now attracted the attention of Georgia's Democratic Senator, Raphael Warnock. In a letter sent to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at the end of October, Senator Warnock urged a 'full and fair consideration' of Taylor's pressing health issues.
The letter highlights Taylor's positive standing in his community, describing him as a 'respected barber' and 'advocate for cancer awareness' who has lived in the US for 40 years. It notes that a local official and a lieutenant from the Gwinnett county sheriff’s office praised his character.
Despite this political support, Taylor's legal situation remains dire. His attorney, Helen Parsonage, filed a habeas corpus petition in September seeking his release on bond. Although a judge in the same federal district court recently ruled against the Trump administration's policy of denying bond in a separate case, this precedent has not yet benefited Taylor. The judge overseeing his petition has not issued a ruling.
Taylor was brought to the US from Liberia as a child on a medical visa and has undergone 16 operations. He was detained by ICE in January, just 10 days after getting engaged, due to a burglary conviction from his teenage years. The state of Georgia pardoned him for this conviction in 2010. He has a pending application for a green card but remains in detention.
His attorney, Sarah Owings, shared that Taylor has faced multiple incidents in detention, including screws coming out of his prosthetic legs, causing falls and hand injuries, and periods where he could not charge or calibrate his prosthetic legs, leading to further harm.
Parsonage commented that the government's refusal to release Taylor is 'symptomatic of a lack of humanity' and that conditions of confinement no longer seem to concern the Department of Homeland Security. While Senator Warnock's staff have visited Taylor and elevated medical concerns for multiple detainees, Taylor remains sceptical, stating, 'it seems like they don't care, sad to say. They have their own agenda.' He is now in his 11th month of detention.
