Civil rights groups slam ICE over detentions of pregnant women

Civil rights groups on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security, demanding a review of allegations by pregnant women who were detained by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“The policy violations and inhumane treatment addressed in the complaint are of especially great concern given the Trump administration’s executive orders directing ICE to dramatically expand immigration enforcement actions and increase the number of individuals subject to immigration detention,” the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said in a statement.

The administrative complaint includes accounts from multiple women who were detained by ICE while pregnant, including one woman who said she was unable to obtain medical attention after telling officials she was pregnant and bleeding. 

{mosads}It was filed by multiple groups, including the ACLU, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services and the American Immigration Council.

Their complaint was addressed to John Roth, Homeland Security’s inspector general, in addition to Cameron Quinn, the department’s officer for civil rights and civil liberties.

“Given the severity of these violations and the immediate impact on the health and safety of women in immigration detention, we ask that you review these cases and this issue in an expedited manner,” the complaint reads.