Miscarriages, Infections, Neglect: The Pregnant Women Detained By ICE

Until last year, Congress required reports on the pregnant, postpartum or nursing women in ICE custody, including ‘detailed justification’ for their detention. This requirement no longer exists, Kelly Rissman reports.

ICE facilities have become a “black box,” Zain Lakhani, director of migrant rights and justice at the Women’s Refugee Commission, told The Independent. The commission launched its Detention Pregnancy Tracker to build a record of the treatment of pregnant women in ICE custody by piecing together information from lawyers, health care providers, and labor organizers.

Some pregnant women reported only being fed a tiny frozen burrito for the entire day, while others said their food was moldy or covered in insects, Lakhani said. Beyond the harsh conditions, family separation is inherently interwoven with the detention of pregnant and postpartum women. Lakhani said women, who already have children, have expressed “grievous levels of stress and distress around being separated.”