BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Pregnant women detained by U.S. immigration authorities have voiced concerns over inadequate medical care, urging the Trump administration to halt the detention of expectant mothers in federal facilities, according to a letter disclosed on Wednesday.
This appeal to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement forms part of a larger initiative by Democrats and immigrant advocacy groups, aiming to spotlight alleged mistreatment of pregnant women amid the intensified immigration enforcement under Trump’s administration.
The Department of Homeland Security has defended its practices, asserting that pregnant detainees receive regular prenatal checkups and nutritional support. However, the agency has yet to provide statistics on the number of pregnant women in custody, a detail demanded by Democratic lawmakers.
The American Civil Liberties Union’s letter presents testimonies from pregnant detainees who reported being shackled during transport, held in solitary confinement for days, and receiving insufficient food and water in detention centers located in Louisiana and Georgia.
Over the past five months, the ACLU has engaged with more than a dozen pregnant women in ICE custody, some of whom experienced miscarriages while detained. These women described “deeply concerning” situations, including a lack of translation services during medical consultations and instances of medical neglect. One woman endured a “severe” infection following her miscarriage.
In a conversation with The Associated Press, one woman recounted her experience of being handcuffed during a five-hour transfer to Louisiana, which involved two flights. She spoke anonymously, fearing repercussions in her ongoing legal proceedings after being released from custody and giving birth.
An officer told her he considered taking off the handcuffs but worried she would escape. “How am I going to escape if I’m pregnant?” the woman said she responded.
She said she felt as if she’d been kidnapped and experienced dizziness, nausea and suffered from vaginal bleeding. During her time in the detention facility, she said pregnant women were not offered special diets and described the food as horrible. She alleged that detainees had to “beg” for water and toilet paper.
The ACLU’s letter is the latest call for an investigation into the arrest and treatment of pregnant detainees.
Senate Democrats wrote Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in September, expressing concerns about the “prevalence and treatment” of pregnant, postpartum and nursing women in ICE custody and demanded that the agency stop detaining such people unless there are “exceptional circumstances.”
Democratic lawmakers have also said information about the number of pregnant women in ICE custody has been difficult to ascertain.
DHS has said that pregnant detainees receive regular prenatal visits, mental health services, nutritional support, and accommodations “aligned with community standards of care.”
“Detention of pregnant women is rare and has elevated oversight and review,” the agency said in an August press release.
___ Gonzalez reported from McAllen, Texas.
