Conyers, Lofgren: Continued Immigration Detainee Medical Abuses are "Unacceptable"

(Washington, DC)- Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr., and Subcommittee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA, Immigration Subcommittee) sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff demanding that he answer for continuing revelations about slipshod medical treatment in the immigration detention system.  In recent months, Lofgren and Conyers have examined medical shortcoming in ICE detention centers, having held hearings and introduced legislation to improve medical care in detention centers.  The letter follows revelations that another detainee, Hiu Lui Ng, died in ICE custody as his pleas for treatment were ignored.

"Despite testimony and reassurances from the Department that they are improving medical care for immigration detainees, a cry for help has apparently again been dismissed as malingering, with fatal results," said Conyers.  "This is wholly unacceptable. I expect Secretary Chertoff to remedy this situation before yet another person dies on ICE’s watch."

"Once again, Immigration and Customs Enforcement finds itself defending the indefensible," noted Lofgren. "If press accounts hold true, ICE’s treatment of Mr. Ng shows a callous disregard for both common decency and basic human rights. The Department of Homeland Security has consistently stonewalled and deflected all efforts to investigate and address its inhumane treatment of detainees. It is clear that we are facing a serious lack of moral leadership at both DHS and ICE."

The full text of today's letter.