Lawmakers launch investigation into administration’s handling of alleged mass hysterectomies at ICE detention facility

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and other leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee – which oversees the nation's public health – sent a letter today to Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf demanding to know what the agency is doing to investigate claims of unwanted hysterectomies being performed on immigrant women detained at an ICE detention facility in Georgia.

According to a complaint filed with DHS's Office of Inspector General, a high rate of hysterectomies were being performed on women detained at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia without their fully informed consent.

"If this complaint is true, it is absolutely unacceptable and horrific treatment of individuals under DHS detention," the lawmakers wrote. "As the Committee of jurisdiction over public health and health care in the United States, we seek information as to what steps DHS has taken to investigate the conditions at ICDC and elsewhere, and what actions are being implemented to address and prevent such circumstances in other detention facilities."

According to the complaint filed with the inspector general's office, some women who had a hysterectomy performed on them expressed that they did not understand why the procedure had been done. One woman was reportedly given three different answers by three different people as to why she needed to undergo the surgery.

In the days since the complaint was made public, more women have come forward to share their experiences of being pressured to undergo the procedure while detained at the facility.

In addition to DeGette, the letter was signed by U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA).

The lawmakers demanded a response from DHS by October 15, 2020.

A copy of the letter to DHS is available here.