The Biden administration will cease the arrest and detention of illegal migrants who are pregnant, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said on Friday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th July, 2021) The Biden administration will cease the arrest and detention of illegal migrants who are pregnant, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said on Friday.
The Trump administration had expanded ICE's authority to detain pregnant migrant women, including those seeking asylum.
"The policy...states that ICE should not detain, arrest or take into custody for an administrative violation of the immigration laws individuals known to be pregnant, postpartum or nursing, unless release is prohibited by law or exceptional circumstances exist," ICE said in a press release.
Migrant women with infants must be within a year of the postpartum period, the release noted.
ICE said if the detention of pregnant migrants is necessary, the agency will provide appropriate medical care to the individuals.
According to the Government Accountability Office, ICE detained pregnant migrant women more than 4,600 times from 2016 to 2018, but most detentions lasted one week or less while 10 percent were detained for more than 30 days.
