House members urge end to 'family detention'

Congressional Democrats on Friday urged the Obama administration to end the practice of locking up undocumented immigrant mothers and children while they await deportation proceedings.

"It is long past time to end family detention," said a letter signed by 178 House Democrats and sent to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.

The request came one week after a federal judge upended Obama administration policy by ruling that mothers and children who enter the United States illegally should be released, not detained, awaiting court proceedings.

And it follows a complaint lodged Thursday by 10 undocumented immigrant families, including two in Berks County, who allege they received "substandard" medical attention at one of the nation's three family detention centers.

The 85-bed Berks facility opened in Leesport in March 2001. Along with the centers in Dilley and Karnes, Texas, it operates under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The complaint cites a litany of mistreatment, including 250 children given adult doses of a hepatitis drug, IV fluids administered with a bent needle, and a detainee with two broken fingers denied treatment and told to "drink more water." One of the Berks women, a 19-year-old identified by the pseudonym "Maria" and described as having fled gang violence in Honduras, was allegedly detained 11 months with her toddler daughter.

The complaint says Maria has a cardiac condition and had to carry a heart monitor. She was regularly dizzy, suffered blurry vision and chills, and once fell in a bathroom, resulting in a black eye, swollen cheek, and contusions. When she regained consciousness, the complaint states, she was told to lie down and drink water instead of sending her for tests.

The other Berks case involves "Iliana," whose nationality is not specified. She was allegedly detained with her 2-year-old daughter.

After four months, the mother experienced severe headaches and blackouts, the complaint states, and was brought to an eye doctor outside the facility who determined she has glaucoma and is legally blind.

It took months, according to the complaint, before Iliana was found to have Chiari malformation, "a brain condition in which the spinal cord does not fully cover the brain tissue."

Earlier, an in-house social worker and outside psychiatrist said she had post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Despite these severe mental and physical health conditions," states the complaint, ICE refused to parole her for a further five months.

In a statement Friday, ICE said it investigates all allegations of mistreatment, adding: "The agency is committed to ensuring that individuals housed in our family residential centers receive timely and appropriate medical health care."