An investigation from Sen. John Ossoff (D-Ga.) found 510 “credible reports of human rights abuse” of those held in immigration detention centers across the country.
“Through interviews, analysis of public reports, and site inspections, the Senator’s staff has received or identified 41 credible reports of physical and sexual abuse, 14 credible reports of mistreatment of pregnant women, and 18 credible reports of mistreatment of children in immigration detention,” the report states.
DHS did not respond to a request for comment.
The report details a number of alarming instances in which pregnant women were denied access to medical care.
In one case, the partner of a pregnant woman in custody said she bled for days before being taken to a hospital.
“Once she was there, she was reportedly left in a room, alone, to miscarry without water or medical assistance, for over 24 hours,” the report states.
In another instance, a pregnant detainee speaking with the senator’s staff described repeatedly requesting medical attention and being told to “just drink water” instead of receiving an exam.
Among the cases of physical abuse, the report details a case of a man who was “slammed against the ground, handcuffed, and taken outside . . . for stepping out of line in the dining hall.”
Citing reporting from the Miami Herald, the report also notes an instance in which detainees in a facility there were held in a small room for hours on end with one toilet and no access to food or water.
“When they flooded the toilet in protest, officers reportedly threw ‘flash-bang’ grenades into the room and ‘shot at the men with what appeared to be pellets or rubber bullets,’” the report states.
The report also cites multiple reports of sexual abuse, including two 911 calls from a Calfironia facility and four from the South Texas ICE Processing Center.
The report also covers known instances in which children, including those with serious conditions such as cancer, being detained alongside their parents. Some are U.S. citizens.