Improving Medical Care for Detained Immigrants

The recent release of data concerning deaths of detained immigrants due to inadequate health care has brought the care of immigrants in detention to the attention of the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), policymakers, the media, and human rights groups. The way health care is currently provided to detained immigrants denies them of their fundamental right to a “standard of living adequate for health and well-being of himself…including medical care and necessary social services guaranteed to each individual by the Declaration of Human Rights. Standards of care must be set and regulations must become mandatory to improve the access to and quality of health care for detained immigrants. This presentation provides background information on this relatively new issue, examines concerns about current ICE health care policies and standards , reviews current legislative proposals and recommends principles necessary for a legislative solution. A legislative solution is necessary that embodies principles to improve the quality and access to care for this population. An office for oversight, mandatory standards and procedures, strategies to minimize understaffing, an appeals system, a mortality data tracking system and sanctions all must be codified in legislation. Mandatory policies are needed and should be enforced to assure humane and adequate health care for detained immigrants.