Rosen Joins Colleagues in Demanding Information from Trump Administration on Mistreatment of Pregnant Women in ICE Detention

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues in a letter to the Trump Administration expressing grave concerns about the prevalence and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention. In their letter, the lawmakers urgently requested that ICE stop detaining pregnant women absent exceptional circumstances, and requested the Department provide information about the number of pregnant women in its custody and the treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women who are in ICE detention.

"We write to express grave concerns about the prevalence and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention. A recent Senate Judiciary Committee site visit and media reports point to the alarming detention of a significant number of pregnant women in ICE custody," the senators wrote. "We urgently request that ICE cease detaining pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women absent exceptional circumstances and that the agency provide information about the number and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in its custody."

A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study published in 2020 found that between 2016 and 2018, ICE detained pregnant women over 4,600 times. As Congress increased its oversight into the detention of pregnant women, the number dropped to just 158 pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women detained in the first half of Fiscal Year 2024. After President Trump took office this year, the Administration stopped providing reports to Congress on the number of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in its custody.

"Medical research links ICE detention to high rates of pregnancy complications, with physicians finding serious risks to both fetal and maternal health. These already serious risks are heightened by the deteriorating conditions inside detention facilities, including severe overcrowding, reports of inadequate food and water, and lack of emergency medical care," the senators continued. "At this time, we do not know how many pregnant women are in ICE custody, whether U.S. citizen babies have been born in ICE custody, and what provisions have been made for mothers' and children's health, safety, and wellbeing."

Senator Rosen has consistently spoken up against Donald Trump's cruel, out-of-control mass deportation efforts. She spoke out against the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Trump Administration's racial profiling tactics when it comes to immigration enforcement. She also helped introduce the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act to safeguard schools, hospitals, places of worship, and other essential spaces from immigration raids-so that Nevada families aren't driven by fear when they seek care or send their kids to school. Senator Rosen joined a letter with Senate colleagues urging the Trump administration to ensure unaccompanied children in immigration custody receive legal representation, as required by federal law. She also helped introduce the VISIBLE Act, which would require ICE and other immigration agents to clearly identify themselves during enforcement operations-bringing accountability and transparency back to law enforcement activities.

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