Kerry Kennedy, sister of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and President of the nonprofit organization Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, wrote Tuesday on social media: “Pregnant and postpartum women report starving in ICE custody, freezing cells, invasive procedures, miscarriages, and their pleas for help going unanswered.”
With a link to an Independent article titled, ‘Miscarriages, Infections, Neglect: The Pregnant Women Detained by ICE,’ Kennedy wrote: “Some of the women report being fed nothing more than a tiny frozen burrito in an entire day. Others say they ‘dream of eating meat’ after going weeks without protein. What we’re seeing is not isolated incidents, but a systemic failure that is putting lives at risk.”
Pregnant and postpartum women report starving in ICE custody, freezing cells, invasive procedures, miscarriages, and their pleas for help going unanswered. More from @Independent & @RFKHumanRights
. https://t.co/cgl2Cqb1rH — Kerry Kennedy (@KerryKennedyRFK) December 2, 2025
Kennedy noted that RFK Human Rights is “demanding a full review, the release of all pregnant people in ICE custody, & accountability for the abuses they’ve endured.”
In September, 29 Democratic Senators including Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) wrote a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requesting information about pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women detained by ICE. Questions included how many are detained and where, and have any been put in restraints. (Murray confirmed that as of November 25, Noem had not responded to the letter.)
The ACLU has been pursuing accountability on ICE detentions also, emphasizing the treatment of pregnant detainees. Eunice Cho, senior counsel at the organization’s National Prison Project informed ICE in a letter that “what we heard from the pregnant women we interviewed are some of the most horrifying stories I’ve heard about detention.”
Cho’s October letter to Todd Lyons, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, recounted instances of “shackling, use of restraints, and solitary confinement; delayed and substandard prenatal care; denial of prenatal vitamins; inadequate food and water; medical care provided without informed consent; lack of interpretation and translation in medical encounters; and medical neglect leading to dangerous infection after miscarriage” among those in ICE custody.
Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) is also attempting to draw attention to the alleged abuses and “inhumane conditions” common in detention, saying he heard directly from the detainees during a visit to an ICE facility in April.
In April, I visited the ICE detention facility in Basile, LA, and heard directly from women detained there. We need answers from the Trump admin about reports of inhumane conditions, medical neglect, and miscarriages at Basile. Pregnant women deserve dignity, not cruelty. pic.twitter.com/RCxaxePgIn
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) December 3, 2025
In August, the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement “debunking” similar claims made by Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and wrote: “It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody. This includes medical, dental, and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care.”
DHS also claimed: “Pregnant women receive regular prenatal visits, mental health services, nutritional support, and accommodations aligned with community standards of care.”