Ban ICE Detention for Pregnant Women

As reports mount in 2026 of pregnant people being deported and detained without adequate care, Congress must act immediately to end ICE’s inhumane treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women.

No one should be forced to endure pregnancy behind bars. Yet across ICE facilities, pregnant people report malnutrition, denial of prenatal care, and being placed in isolation. Investigations by Human Rights Watch and The 19th have found that some detainees have suffered miscarriages after being denied timely medical treatment. Others describe being shackled, ignored during medical emergencies, or separated from their newborns shortly after birth. Postpartum people have reported being denied adequate recovery care, while nursing mothers struggle to access basic support to feed their infants.

This is not an accident—it is a policy failure. ICE’s own detention standards acknowledge the need for specialized care, yet oversight letters from members of Congress and reporting from outlets like Politico and NPR show that these standards are routinely ignored. Advocates and medical experts have repeatedly warned that detention conditions are dangerous for pregnancy and postpartum recovery, increasing the risk of complications, trauma, and long-term harm.

Congress has the authority to restrict funding, mandate standards, and ban the detention of vulnerable populations. 

We demand that Congress pass legislation immediately banning ICE from detaining pregnant, postpartum, and nursing people, and require DHS to implement community-based alternatives that prioritize health, dignity, and family unity.

Add your name to demand action. Speak out. No more pregnant women in detention.