Southwest Border Health Initiative: Ensuring Detainee Health While in DHS Custody

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the DHS Office of Health Affairs (OHA), all subcomponents of The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), have been developing the Southwest Border Health Initiative (SWBHI) as a way to mitigate detainee health impacts, achieve cost savings, and enhance mission-oriented operations on the border.

The southwest border region is the most active crossing and highest apprehension area where individuals attempt to cross into the United States illegally.  Approximately 50 percent of new illegal arrivals enter through the south Texas Border.  The need for the SWBHI was originally identified in April of 2012, when there was a significant increase in Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) apprehended by DHS on the southwest border—roughly double the numbers during the same period in FY 2011.

Due to a lack of medical screening and care available at the CBP border patrol stations, all detainees with potential health concerns (dehydration, pregnancy, twisted ankles) must be taken to the nearest emergency room (ER) by no less than two CBP agents.

The Initiative’s principle objectives are to ensure safe and timely delivery of health resources for detainees in DHS custody, especially UAC, and make process modifications to improve the efficiency of screening, detention, and removal operations.  Additionally, it will provide basic occupational medical services to the DHS agents and employees at these remote border sites.