Over the past three years, more than 2,500 pregnant women have been taken into custody by ICE. This may leave those held in Florida and throughout the country at risk of developing health problems. Furthermore, a lack of treatment may also result in health problems for their babies as well. In some cases, women held in custody have miscarried. However, a spokeswoman for ICE says that the agency spends $250 million each year on medical care for those detained.
She also said that detainees are given mental, dental, and medical checks within 12 hours of being taken into custody. They also have access to professionals around the clock who can meet their medical needs. One woman who experienced health issues while in detention believes that social media helped secure her release. She says that she was detained on Jan. 16 and released without warning on Jan. 19.
In the meantime, she said that she felt dizzy and was worried about her baby. While the baby was not harmed, the woman said that she worries about others who don’t have their cases highlighted on social media. The number of pregnant women who have been detained by ICE has gone up in recent years. Prior to 2017, those with criminal records or otherwise deemed to be a safety threat were generally detained.
Those who are in the country illegally may be a candidate for deportation proceedings. However, this does not necessarily mean that they can’t stay in the United States. An attorney may help an individual apply for asylum or otherwise apply for a visa that could help them remain in the country. In some cases, those who have not yet had an immigration hearing will be allowed to remain outside of ICE custody as their proceedings unfold.
