Detained immigrants face abuse and neglect

According to a recent four-part Washington Post series, immigrant detainees are being neglected and not given the proper medical care. Immigrants taken to ICE facilities face abuse, neglect and even death in a system that has taken at least 83 lives in the last five years—most were young, with 32 under the age of 40.

Yusif Osman, 34, died of cardiac arrest when as little as an aspirin might have saved his life.

Those targeted by the Bush administration’s anti-immigrant offensive—primarily working-class Latino and Arab immigrants—are often kept in detention centers for long periods of time. Overwhelmed and understaffed medical workers neglect detainees who are ill. Those with mental illness are not getting the care they need. Many are misdiagnosed if they are treated at all.

Fifteen of the deaths among immigrants in detention over the past five years were suicides, the Post reported, with the rate of attempted suicide rising according to internal ICE documents.

Hassiba Belbachir, 27, had a panic attack five days before and had been moved to a medical ward. Despite telling a social worker she wanted to die, she was not placed on suicide watch. She strangled herself using her socks.

The indifference of health workers is at times appalling. Rev. Joseph Dantica fled Haiti in 2004 after his church was taken over by U.N. Peacekeepers. He had a valid visa when he first entered the United States, but was transferred to a detention center in Miami when he attempted to seek asylum. Dantica became violently ill during his asylum hearing. Rather than caring for him, medical workers accused him of faking his symptoms. The 81-year-old minister died the next day in a hospital.

Yusif Osman, 34, died when his heart suddenly stopped. Osman, a documented immigrant from Ghana, had been detained because a companion was in possession of a false ID card. Experts say as little as an aspirin might have saved his life. During an intake screening, a nurse mistakenly closed Osman’s file, marking it completed even though no medical information had been entered.

The medical staff knew about the deficient care: Answering an internal review question on whether Osman received adequate health care consistent with community standards, the medical director checked “no.”

Detention centers hold as many as 33,000 people crammed in tattered compounds waiting to be deported or allowed to stay. Detainees struggle to obtain access to lawyers.

The Post’s report highlights the disturbing practice of injecting immigrants who have no history of mental illness with dangerous psychotropic drugs. These drugs are casually administered as a “pre-flight” cocktail prior to deportation. In some cases, immigrants are handcuffed and dragged or pushed on wheelchairs onto planes.

The Post found that, out of 53 deported immigrants drugged prior to their flights in 2007, 50 were injected with Haldol—a potent medication used to treat acute psychotic states. The Food and Drug Administration issued an alert in September 2007 warning that Haldol could cause changes in heart rhythm and sudden death.

The persecution of immigrants is increasing. A single raid in Postville, Iowa—the largest anti-immigrant raid yet—led to the arrest of over 300 workers whose only crime was to try to support themselves and their families.

The treatment afforded to immigrants in detention centers is not worthy of human beings. No immigrant should have to fear raids, incarceration or deportation for trying to earn a living. No more racist raids! Full rights for all immigrants!