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WASHINGTON — Immigration and Customs Enforcement made public a policy today that revokes guidance limiting the detention of pregnant women. The new policy removes various reporting requirements regarding the treatment of pregnant women and eliminates the presumption that ICE should not detain pregnant women except in extraordinary circumstances.
Victoria Lopez, American Civil Liberties Union senior staff counsel, said:
“This new policy further exposes the cruelty of Trump’s detention and deportation force by endangering the lives of pregnant immigrant women. It removes critical protections for this vulnerable population and eliminates key reporting requirements for oversight of a detention system that needs more, not less, transparency and accountability.”
In September 2017, the ACLU and partner organizations filed an administrative complaint with the Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Office of Inspector General calling for an investigation into the detention and treatment of pregnant women.
The ACLU has endorsed the House bill, “Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act” (H.R. 3923), which would protect vulnerable populations in detention such as pregnant women.
