Democratic Women’s Caucus Demands Investigation into ICE and CBP’s Abuse of Women
WASHINGTON, DC – The Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) led by DWC Members Nanette Barragán (CA-44) and Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Policy Task Force Co-Chairs Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) and Deborah Ross (NC-02), and New Democrat Coalition Liaison Norma Torres (CA-35) sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, and Warden of Richwood Correctional Center Ms. Lisa Bowen calling for an immediate investigation into the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP)’s mistreatment of women in their custody.
In their letter, DWC raised concerns about ICE and CBP’s disturbing patterns of abuse, mistreatment, and medical neglect of women. Reports have revealed that women, including those who are pregnant, are violently detained, subjected to mistreatment, and even denied critical healthcare while in immigration detention.
The letter also highlighted troubling cases of Iris Dayana Monterroso-Lemus and Cary López Alvarado. Agents repeatedly denied medical care to Iris Dayana Monterroso-Lemus, a pregnant detainee who suffered a stillbirth. Despite repeatedly requesting care and reporting serious health concerns, agents ignored Monterroso-Lemus until it was too late, and her baby tragically died. The doctors noted that her loss was a result of not receiving prenatal care—the care she asked for repeatedly.
ICE agents violently detained Cary López Alvarado, a U.S. citizen who was nine months pregnant, while she was trying to protect her husband. An officer shoved López Alvarado after she clearly stated she was pregnant. She had to be hospitalized for sharp pains following her release from ICE detention and received no official documentation about the incident with ICE agents.
“Disregard for women’s health and safety is not just a one time instance, the abuse and neglect are part of a larger, systemic failure to treat women with dignity, compassion, and basic medical care” DWC Members explained in the letter.
In the letter, the Caucus demanded transparency, accountability, and immediate action from the administration to address ICE and CBP’s abuse of women in custody. They requested a full investigation into the pregnancy loss of Monterroso-Lemus and broader mistreatment of women in ICE and CBP custody, especially pregnant and postpartum women.
“Over and over again, women are being mistreated by ICE, CBP, and contractors from detainment to detention. These horrifying stories are the result of systemic neglect, cruelty, and policy failures that we must confront head-on. We demand answers, accountability, and action. Your administration cannot claim to ‘protect women’ when your agents are on video ripping babies out of women’s arms and pushing them to the ground aggressively.”
You can read the full letter from the Democratic Women’s Caucus here.
In addition to letter leads Nanette Barragán, Veronica Escobar, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Deborah Ross, and Norma Torres, the letter was signed by Alma Adams, Yassamin Ansari, Suzanne Bonamici, Julia Brownley, Shontel Brown, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Judy Chu, Yvette Clarke, Jasmine Crockett, Diana DeGette, Maxine Dexter, Sarah Elfreth, Valerie Foushee, Lois Frankel, Laura Friedman, Sylvia Garcia, Pramila Jayapal, Summer Lee, Teresa Leger Fernández, Doris Matsui, April McClain Delaney, Betty McCollum, Gwen Moore, Kelly Morrison, Eleanor Norton, Ilhan Omar, Brittany Pettersen, Chellie Pingree, Delia Ramirez, Luz Rivas, Andrea Salinas, Janice Schakowsky, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Norma Torres, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Nikema Williams, and Frederica Wilson.