By: Jennifer Lav, Priscilla Huang, Alicia Emanuel, and Amy Chen
Executive Summary
The National Health Law Program urges the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to withdraw a proposal to allow DHS to detain children with their families for the entirety of their immigration proceedings–in effect, indefinitely. Detention is neither generally safe nor appropriate for children. DHS’ long history of providing inadequate health care in its own facilities demonstrates why DHS’ proposal to permit long-term detention in “self-regulated” facilities poses serious risks to children and families health.
