Health Care for Noncitizens in Immigration Detention

Health Care for Noncitizens in
Immigration Detention
June 27, 2008
Alison Siskin
Specialist in Immigration Policy
Domestic Social Policy Division



Health Care for Noncitizens in Immigration Detention
Summary
Recent congressional hearings and press coverage critical of the medical care
received by those in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s)
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have raised interest in the subject. The
law provides broad authority to detain aliens while awaiting a determination of
whether they should be removed from the United States and mandates that certain
categories of aliens are subject to mandatory detention by DHS. Aliens not subject
to mandatory detention may be detained, paroled, or released on bond.
The medical care required to be provided to aliens detained in ICE custody is
outlined in ICE’s National Detention Standards, which address standards for medical
care; hunger strikes; suicide prevention and intervention; and terminal illness,
advanced directives, and death. According to ICE’s Detention Standards, “All
detainees shall have access to medical services that promote detainee health and
general well-being.” In addition, every facility has to provide detainees with initial
medical screening, “cost-effective” primary medical care, and emergency care.
The Division of Immigrant Health Services (DIHS), which is detailed
indefinitely from the U.S. Public Health Service to ICE, is responsible for the health
care of noncitizens detained by ICE. In some detention facilities, DIHS provides all
medical care; in others, DIHS is responsible only for approving medical services that
are not provided by the detention facility. ICE has established a covered benefits
package that delineates the health care services available to detainees in ICE custody.
Detainees who require non-emergency medical care beyond that which can be
provided at the detention facilities must submit a Treatment Authorization Request
(TAR) to the DIHS Managed Care Program. TARs are reviewed by DIHS nurses in
Washington, DC, who review the paperwork submitted by physicians and decide
whether to allow the treatment.
There have been press reports and congressional testimony of individuals in ICE
custody who apparently received inadequate medical care. In addition, problems
with access to medical care is one of the chief complaints of aliens in detention.
However, others state that immigration detainees may receive better health care than
some U.S. citizens, and assert that the death rate in ICE custody is lower than that of
the prison and general populations. Overall, there seem to be two major policy
questions: (1) do the Detention Standards and the covered benefits package allow for
the provision of adequate services to the detained populations; and (2) are the
procedures and standards for the provision of medical care being followed?
The Detainee Basic Medical Care Act of 2008, H.R. 5950/S. 3005, wasth
introduced in the 110 Congress. The bills would require the Secretary of Homeland
Security (DHS) to establish procedures for the timely and effective delivery of
medical and mental health care to immigration detainees, designed to ensure
continuity of care throughout the alien’s detention. The report does not investigate
the veracity of claims of substandard medical care made in the press, or ICE’s
rebuttals. This report will be updated to reflect legislative activity.



Contents
In troduction ......................................................1
Overview of Noncitizen Detention....................................2
Overview of Detention Population................................4
Oversight of Detention Facilities..................................4
Health Care for Detained Aliens......................................5
ICE’s Detention Standards for Detainee Medical Care.................5
Overview of Detention Standards.............................5
Detention Standards on Medical Care..........................6
Provision of Health Services.....................................8
Role of Division of Immigrant Health Services...................9
Additional Health Care Services/Treatment Authorization
Requests ............................................10
Other Reported Issues with Detainee Health Care................14
Governmental Reports on Compliance with the Medical Care Detention
Standards ...................................................14
DRO Semiannual Report.......................................15
GAO Alien Detention Standards.................................15
DHS OIG Report.............................................16
Selected Issues...................................................17
Spending on Detainee Health Care...............................17
Medical Release From Detention.................................18
Health Care for Detained Asylum Seekers.........................19
Deaths in Custody............................................20
Procedures ..............................................20
Death Rates.............................................21
Proper Standard of Care........................................22
Legislation in the 110th Congress.....................................23
H.R. 5950/S. 3005............................................23
Appendix. Detention Statistics......................................25
List of Figures
Figure 1. Total Detained Population and Average Daily Detention
Population, FY2003-FY2007....................................26
List of Tables
Table 1. Overview of Selected Government Studies on Compliance
with Detention Standards.......................................15



FY2003-FY2007 .............................................18
Table 3. Number of Deaths in Custody, Calendar Year 2004-2007..........21
Table 4. Percentage Removed and Percentage Remaining in Detention,
April 30, 2007...............................................25



Health Care for Noncitizens in
Immigration Detention
Introduction
Recent congressional hearings1 and press coverage2 critical of the medical care
received by noncitizens3 in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security’s
(DHS’s) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have increased congressional
interest in the subject, including the introduction of legislation related to detainee
health care. An overarching debate on this issue concerns the appropriate standard
of health care that should be provided to foreign nationals in immigration detention.
The medical care required to be provided to detainees is outlined in ICE’s
National Detention Standards, and the Division of Immigrant Health Services


1 The House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees,
Border Security, and International Law, has held two hearings on detainee medical care.
The first hearing occurred in October 2007, and the second hearing was held on June 4,thst
2008. Hearing 110 Congress, 1 sess., “Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee
Medical Care,” before the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration,
Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, October 4, 2007, Serial No.

110-53. (Hereafter, House Subcommittee on Immigration, Detention and Removal:thnd


Immigration Detainee Medical Care.) Hearing 110 Congress, 2 sess., “Problems with
Immigration Detainee Medical Care,” before the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee
on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, June 4,

2008.


2 In June 2007, The New York Times published an article reporting on noncitizens who had
died while in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE). On May 11, 2008, the Washington Post began a four-part
series on problems with the medical care provided to immigration detainees. This series was
accompanied by a piece on the CBS show 60 Minutes. The articles and the 60 Minutes
segment highlighted the cases of detained aliens who appeared to have received substandard
care, which in some instances led to the alien’s death. ICE has publically rebutted the
allegations in these stories. For ICE’s response, see U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, Public Information, Detainee Health Care: The Rest of the Story, May 14,

2008, available at [http://www.ice.gov/pi/detention_health_care.htm], accessed May 20,


2008. The referenced articles are Nina Bernstein, “New Scrutiny as Immigrants Die in
Custody,” The New York Times, June 26, 2007, p. A1, and Dana Priest and Amy Goldstein,
“System of Neglect: As Tighter Immigration Policies Strain Federal Agencies, The
Detainees in their Care Often Pay a Heavy Cost,” Washington Post, May 11, 2008, p. A1.
For more on the cases of individual detainees, see House Subcommittee on Immigration,
Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care.
3 A noncitizen is anyone who is not a citizen or national of the United States, and is
synonymous with alien.

(DIHS), which is detailed from the U.S. Public Health Service to ICE is ultimately
responsible for the health care of noncitizens detained by ICE. However, the Florida
Immigrant Advocacy Center has reported that problems with access to medical care
is one of the chief complaints of aliens in detention.4 Similarly, the National
Immigrant Justice Center states that complaints about access to medical care are a
constant theme in conversations with detained aliens.5 In addition, the U.S.
government recently admitted negligence in the death of Francisco Castaneda, a
former ICE detainee.6 Thus, although standards exist, one of the questions raised is
are the standards being followed?
This report begins with an overview of noncitizen detention and then examines
the procedures and issues with detainee health care. This report concludes with a
discussion of legislation introduced in the 110th Congress related to detainee health
care. The report does not investigate the veracity of claims of substandard medical
care made in the press or ICE’s rebuttals.
Overview of Noncitizen Detention
The law provides broad authority to detain aliens while awaiting a determination
of whether they should be removed from the United States, and mandates that certain
categories of aliens are subject to mandatory detention (i.e., the aliens must be
detained) by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).7 Aliens not subjected to8
mandatory detention can be paroled, released on bond, or continue to be detained.


4 Statement by Cheryl Little, Executive director Florida Immigrant, hearing 110th Congress,
1st sess., “Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care,” before the House
Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border
Security, and International Law, October 4, 2007.Serial No. 110-53, p. 71. (Hereafter Little,
Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care.)
5 Testimony of Mary Meg McCarthy, Executive Director, National Immigrant Justice
Center, in the U.S. Congress, House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration,
Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, Problems with Immigrationthnd
Detainee Medical Care, hearings, 110 Cong., 2 sess., June 4, 2008. (Hereafter,
McCarthy, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care.)
6 Castaneda spent 11 months in ICE custody and died of cancer approximately one year after
he was released. Defendant United States of America’s Notice of Admission of Liability for
Medical Negligence, Castaneda v. United States, No. CV07-07241 (C.D. Cal. April 24,

2008).


7 Mandatory detention is required for certain criminal and terrorist aliens who are
removable, pending a final decision on whether the alien is to be removed. For a full
discussion of the immigration detention of noncitizens, see CRS Report RL32369,
Immigration-Related Detention: Current Legislative Issues, by Alison Siskin.
8 “Parole” is a term in immigration law which means that the alien has been granted
temporary permission to enter and be present in the United States. Parole does not
constitute formal admission to the United States, and parolees are required to leave when
the parole expires, or if eligible, to be admitted in a lawful status.

Any alien can be detained while DHS determines whether the alien should be
removed from the United States. Although some detainees are criminal aliens,9
others are asylum seekers who have not committed a crime, and others are aliens who
are present without status (illegal aliens) who, while in violation of their immigration
status and immigration law, have not committed a criminal offense.10 In addition,
some of the criminal alien detainees are legal permanent residents who have resided
in the United States for many years. Other detained aliens include those who arrive
at a port-of-entry without proper documentation (e.g., fraudulent or invalid visas, or
no documentation), but most of these aliens are quickly returned to their country of
origin through a process known as expedited removal.11 The majority of aliens
arriving without proper documentation who claim asylum are held until their
“credible fear hearing” and then released; however, some asylum seekers are held
until their asylum claims have been adjudicated.
Although noncitizens in immigration detention are in the custody of ICE, only
a minority are detained at facilities owned or fully contracted by ICE. In October
2007, 65% of noncitizen detainees were detained at state and local prisons,12 19% at
contract facilities, 14% at Service Processing Centers (SPCs) owned and operated by
ICE, and 2% at Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities.13 Notably, all facilities housing


9 Criminal aliens are aliens who committed a crime while in the United States, have served
their criminal sentence, and are detained while undergoing deportation proceedings.
Criminal aliens may be legal permanent residents, nonimmigrants, or present without
authorization (illegal aliens).
10 It is a civil violation, not a criminal offense, to be illegally present in the United States.
Nonetheless, it is a crime to enter the United States without inspection or with false
documents.
11 For a full discussion on expedited removal, see CRS Report RL33109, Immigration Policy
on Expedited Removal of Aliens, by Alison Siskin and Ruth Ellen Wasem.
12 ICE uses over 300 state and local jails, which are paid for through reimbursement
agreements called Intergovernmental Service Agreements (IGSAs). U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement, Office of Detention and Removal, Semiannual Report on
Compliance with ICE National Detention Standards: January — June 2007, May 9, 2008,
p. 6.
13 ICE operates eight detention facilities, called Service Processing Centers (SPCs). They
are located in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; Batavia, New York; El Centro, California; El Paso,
Texas; Florence, Arizona; Miami, Florida; Los Fresnos, Texas; and San Pedro, California.
ICE also has seven contract detention facilities. These facilities are located in Aurora,
Colorado; Houston, Texas; Laredo, Texas; Seattle, Washington; Elizabeth, New Jersey;
Queens, New York; and San Diego, California. ICE also uses state and local jails on a
reimbursable detention day basis and has joint facilities with the Bureau of Prisons.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Public Information: Office of Detention and
Removal, updated March 26, 2007. Statement by Gary E. Mead, Assistant Director ICEthst
Detention and Removal, hearing 110 Congress, 1 sess., “Detention and Removal:
Immigration Detainee Medical Care,” before the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee
on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, October 4,
2007, Serial No. 110-53, p.10. (Hereafter Mead, Detention and Removal: Immigration
Detainee Medical Care.)

immigration detainees must comply with ICE’s National Detention Standards
(discussed below).14
Overview of Detention Population
On an average day, up to 33,000 immigration detainees are in ICE’s custody in
more than 300 facilities nationwide. The average stay is 37.5 days.15 For FY2008,
as of December 31, 2007, the average daily detained population was 31,244.16 In
FY2007, a total of 311,213 aliens were detained by ICE.17 As of April 30, 2007, ICE
reported that, cumulatively, 25% of all detained aliens were removed within four
days, and 90% within 85 days.18 Nonetheless, in FY2006, more than 7,000 aliens
were in detention longer than six months.19 For FY2006, approximately 48% of the
aliens in detention were criminal aliens.20 (For a more detailed discussion of the
detention population, see the Appendix.)
Oversight of Detention Facilities
Currently, ICE contracts with Creative Corrections, L.L.C., to perform the
annual inspections of detention facilities.21 ICE also contracts with another company,
the Nakamoto Group Inc.,22 to serve as on-site, full-time quality assurance inspectors
at the 40 largest detention facilities. The Detention Facilities Inspection Group
(DFIG) within the ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is primarily
responsible for oversight of detention facilities. The DFIG, which began in February
2007, provides oversight and independent validation of the annual detention facility
inspection program (done by Creative Corrections). DFIG also conducts


14 Mead, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care, p. 10.
15 Detention and Removal Office, DRO: Detainee Health Care, May 7, 2008. (Hereafter
DRO, DRO: Detainee Health Care.)
16 Unpublished DHS data obtained from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs
Enforcement Office of Congressional Affairs, Department of Homeland Security, January

31, 2008.


17 DHS, Office of Public Affairs, U.S. ICE Fact sheet, Mortality Rates at ICE Detention
Facilities, May 2008.
18 Government Accountability Office, Alien Detention Standards: Telephone Access
Problems Were Pervasive at Detention Facilities; Other Deficiencies Did Not Show a
Pattern of Noncompliance, GAO-07-875, July 2007, p. 48.
19 CRS analysis of data in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FY2006 Detained
Asylum Seekers, Report Pursuant to §904 of the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act
(P.L. 105-277); and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FY2006 Detainees Not
Seeking Asylum, Report Pursuant to §904 of the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act
(P.L. 105-277).
20 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FY2006 Detainees Not Seeking Asylum,
Report Pursuant to §904 of the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (P.L. 105-277).
21 Inspections were formerly performed by ICE employees. For information on Creative
Corrections, go to [http://www.correctionalexperts.com], accessed May 28, 2008.
22 Its website is [http://www.nakamotogroup.com/], accessed May 28, 2008.

investigations of serious incidents involving detainees.23 Lastly, DRO’s Detention
Standards Compliance Unit is tasked with ensuring that facilities that detain aliens
comply with ICE’s National Detention Standards.24 The press has reported that a
DHS Inspector General’s 2008 draft report finds that previous oversight has not been
effective in identifying serious problems at the facilities.25
Health Care for Detained Aliens
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of
Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) is responsible for ensuring
safe and humane conditions of confinement for detained aliens in
federal custody, including the provision of reliable, consistent,26
appropriate and cost-effective health services. — Immigration and
Customs Enforcement
ICE’s Detention Standards for Detainee Medical Care
Overview of Detention Standards. In 2000, the former Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) created National Detention Standards for aliens in27
detention, which are published in the Detention Operations Manual. The standards
specify the detention conditions appropriate for immigration detainees.28 In most29
cases, the standards mirror American Correctional Association (ACA) standards,
though some of ICE’s Detention Standards provide more specificity or are unique to30
the needs of alien detainees. The Detention Standards, however, do not have the


23 Detention and Removal Office, DRO: Detainee Health Care, May 7, 2008, available at
[http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/factsheets/detaineehealthcare.htm], accessed June 30, 2008.
(Hereafter DRO, DRO: Detainee Health Care.)
24 Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Detention and Removal Operations,
Semiannual Report on Compliance with ICE National Detention Standards, January 2007-
June 2007, May 9, 2008.
25 Deborah Howell, “The Ombudsman Reacts to Feedback from U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement,” Washington Post, June 8, 2008.
26 DRO, DRO: Detainee Health Care.
27 These standards are derived from the American Correctional Association Third Edition,
Standards for Adult Local Detention Facilities.
28 Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Public Information: Office of Detention and
Removal, updated March 26, 2007.
29 The ACA evaluates and accredits correctional health care programs in the United States.
An independent, nonprofit organization, ACA is the nation’s main standards-setting and
accrediting body for correctional facilities. For information on ACA, see
[http://www.aca.org/], accessed June 24, 2008.
30 Government Accountability Office, Alien Detention Standards: Telephone Access
Problems Were Pervasive at Detention Facilities; Other Deficiencies Did Not Show a
Pattern of Noncompliance, GAO-07-875, July 2007, p. 8. (Hereafter GAO, Alien Detention
Standards.)

force of law, thus detainees do not have legal recourse for violations of the
standards.31 The Detention Operations Manual contains a section on health services,
which addresses standards for medical care; hunger strikes; suicide prevention and
intervention; and terminal illness, advanced directives, and death.
Reportedly, ICE — with input from detention experts, non-governmental
organizations, and DHS’ Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Office — is in the process
of rewriting the Detention Standards into a performance-based format.32 The
performance-based standards are scheduled to be implemented in late 2008.33
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Immigration Law
Center have complained about the standards. They note that ICE lacks written
guidelines for how to rate a facility’s adherence to the Detention Standards, and that
ICE notifies the facilities 30-days before their annual reviews, giving facilities
opportunities to prepare for the reviews. In addition, they note that annual reviews
do not require detainee interviews and are only observational reviews of the facilities
and files.34 In 2007, the Assistant Secretary of ICE directed that ICE’s Office of
Detention and Removal (DRO) report semiannually on agency-wide adherence with
the National Detention Standards. The semiannual reports explain the standards used
to rate the detention facilities. The first report under this directive was issued in May

2008.35


Detention Standards on Medical Care. According to ICE’s Detention
Operations Manual, “All detainees shall have access to medical services that promote36
detainee health and general well-being.” According to the Detention Operations
Manual, every facility has to provide detainees with initial medical screening, “cost-
effective” primary medical care, and emergency care. The ICE Officer in Charge
(OIC) must arrange for specialized health care, mental heath care, and hospitalization


31 American Bar Association (ABA), Commission on Immigration, Summary of Select ICE
Detention Standards.
32 In fall 2007, Senator Edward Kennedy and Representative Zoe Lofgren sent letters to ICE
expressing concern about the new detention standards and the fact that there was not much
collaboration on the new standards. Both lawmakers requested that Congress be allowed
to review the standards. ICE may have taken their concerns into account, as ICE reports
that it has received input on the standards from many sources. Letter from Representative
Zoe Lofgren to DHS Assistant Secretary Julie Myers, September 7, 2007. Letter from
Senator Edward Kennedy to DHS Assistant Secretary Julie Myers, October 1, 2007.
33 Detention and Removal Office, DRO: Detainee Health Care.
34 American Civil Liberties Union and National Immigration Law Center, U.S. Immigration
Detention System: Substandard Conditions of Confinement and Ineffective Oversight,
prepared for the United Nations Special Rapporteur in the Human Rights of Migrants, May

3, 2007.


35 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Detention and Removal,
Semiannual Report on Compliance with ICE National Detention Standards: January —
June 2007, May 9, 2008.
36 Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Detention Operations Manual, September 20,

2000.



within the local community. All facilities are required to employ a medical staff
large enough to provide basic exams and treatments to all detainees.37 Medical care
at facilities ranges from small clinics with contract staff to facilities with on-site
medical staff and diagnostic equipment.38
The facilities are required to have a mechanism (normally paper request slips)
that allows detainees to request health care services provided by a physician or other
qualified medical officer in a clinical setting.39 The facilities are required to have
regularly scheduled times, known as sick call, when medical personnel are available
to see detainees who have requested medical services. All detainees, without
exception, have access to sick call. The number of detainees determines the
minimum allowable sick call days.40
ICE detainee policy requires that all detainees receive an initial health screening
immediately upon arrival at the detention facility to determine the appropriate
necessary medical, mental health, and dental treatment. In addition to the initial
screening, ICE policy also requires that detainees receive a health appraisal and
physical examination within 14 days of arrival to identify medical conditions that
require monitoring or treatment. In addition, all detainees are supposed to receive a
mental health screening within 12 hours of admission. Detainees also receive a
mental status evaluation during their physical examination, which is required to take
place within 14 days of admission.41 According to ICE, a detainee with a medical
condition will be scheduled for as many follow-up appointments as necessary. In
addition, detainees have access to sick call (i.e., the opportunity to request non-
emergeny health care provided by a health service provider during scheduled times
at the detention facility).42
In addition, the manual states that an initial dental screening exam should be
performed within 14 days of the detainee’s arrival, and if an on-site dentist is not


37 Reportedly, at the Pinal County jail, Florence Arizona, which houses immigration
detainees for ICE, in Feburary 2008, approximately one-third of the medical positions were
vacant, and there was no full-time doctor at that facility or at the two nearby detention
centers. Deborah Howell, “The Ombudsman Reacts to Feedback from U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement,” Washington Post, June 8, 2008.
38 GAO, Alien Detention Standards, p. 18.
39 All request slips are to be received by the medical facility in a timely manner, and
assistance is to be provided to aliens who need assistance filling out the request slips (e.g.,
non-English speakers).
40 Facilities with fewer than 50 detainees must have sick call a minimum of one day per
week. Facilities with 50 to 200 detainees must have sick call a minimum of three days per
week, and facilities with over 200 detainees must have sick call a minimum of five days per
week.
41 Written response to questions, ICE testimony, p. 264.
42 Statement by Gary E. Mead, Assistant Director ICE Detention and Removal, hearing 110th
Congress, 1st sess., “Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care,” before
the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees,
Border Security, and International Law, October 4, 2007, Serial No. 110-53, pp. 7-8.

available, the initial dental screening may be performed by a physician, physician’s
assistant, or nurse practitioner. All detainees are afforded authorized emergency
dental treatment.43 Aliens detained for more than six months are eligible for routine
dental treatment.44 Detainees’ dental care, reportedly, is often limited to extractions,
and care for painful dental conditions is often delayed or denied. Dentures are not
provided, nor are eyeglasses, unless the glasses were broken while the alien was in
detention. In addition, detainees may not use their own money to get medical or
dental care.45
Under the Medical Standards, detainees also have access to medication from an
on-site pharmacy or a pharmacy in the community. Detainees may get medicine from
their family members, provided that the medicine can be verified as appropriate for
the detainee to take and is not contraband.46 There have been reports, however, of
detainees having problems getting medications even when their families have been
willing to provide them.47
Provision of Health Services
The Division of Immigrant Health Services (DIHS), which is indefinitely
detailed from the U.S. Public Health Service to ICE, is ultimately responsible for the
provision of health care to noncitizens detained by ICE. At 15 of over 300 detention
facilities, DIHS provides on-site health care, while in the others, mostly for detainees
in local prisons and jails, health care is provided by contract workers who are not
affiliated with DIHS.48 The amount of care available on-site at detention facilities
is variable. Some facilities have full-time, on-site medical staff, while other facilities


43 Such treatment includes procedures directed toward the immediate relief of pain, trauma,
and acute oral infection that endangers the health of the detainee. It also includes repair of
prosthetic appliances to prevent detainee suffering.
44 Routine dental treatment includes amalgam and composite restorations, prophylaxis, root
canals, extractions, X-rays, the repair and adjustment of prosthetic appliances, and other
procedures required to maintain the detainee’s health.
45 Testimony of Cheryl Little, Executive Director Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, in
U.S. Congress, House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship,
Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, Detention and Removal: Immigrationthst
Detainee Medical Care, hearings, 110 Congress, 1 sess., October 4, 2007, Serial No. 110-
53 (Washington: GPO, 2007), p. 91. (Hereafter Little, Detention and Removal: Immigration
Detainee Medical Care Hearing.)
46 Mead, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing, p. 8.
47 Testimony of Edwidge Danticat, niece of Reverend Joseph Danticat, deceased detainee,
in U.S. Congress, House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship,
Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, Detention and Removal: Immigrationthst
Detainee Medical Care, hearings, 110 Congress, 1 sess., October 4, 2007, Serial No. 110-
53 (Washington: GPO, 2007), p. 46. Also, Dana Priest and Amy Goldstein, “In Custody and
In Pain,” Washington Post, May 12, 2008, p. A1.
48 Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Detention Management Program, updated
January 27, 2007.

make use of local providers.49 Notably, DIHS is responsible for the approval of any
off-site medical care, regardless of where the alien is detained.50
Some immigration advocates maintain that since the Detention Standards do not
have the force or law or regulation, DIHS policy exercises the largest influence over
the provision of medical care to detainees.51 Although the medical care that is
supposed to be received is detailed in the Detention Standards Manual, one stated
concern is that the procedures and standards are not followed.52 Another concern
focuses on the covered benefits package (discussed below) and whether that and the
Detention Standards allow for the provision of adequate services to the detained
populations.
Role of Division of Immigrant Health Services. DIHS is a stand-alone
medical unit consisting of U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Officers and contract
medical professionals who work under DIHS supervision. DIHS serves as the
medical authority for ICE.53 Prior to October 1, 2007, ICE received the medical
services of DIHS through the Department of Health and Human Services’s (HHS’s)
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). In other words, HRSA
oversaw DIHS, including the U.S. Public Health Service Officers assigned to DIHS.
ICE Issues with DIHS. According to DHS, ICE was interested in greater
administrative control over DIHS for a variety of reasons, including HRSA’s inability
to fill DIHS vacancies in a timely manner and unwillingness to provide Public Health
Service (PHS) Officers to support ICE law enforcement missions.54 In October 2007,


49 Government Accountability Office, Alien Detention Standards: Telephone Access
Problems Were Pervasive at Detention Facilities; Other Deficiencies Did Not Show a
Pattern of Noncompliance, GAO-07-875, July 2007.
50 Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Detention Management Program, updated
January 27, 2007.
51 Testimony of Mary Meg McCarthy, Executive Director, National Immigrant Justice
Center, in the U.S. Congress, House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration,
Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, Problems with Immigrationthnd
Detainee Medical Care, hearings, 110 Cong., 2 sess., June 4, 2008. (Hereafter,
McCarthy, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care.)
52 House Subcommittee on Immigration, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee
Medical Care. House Subcommittee on Immigration, Problems with Immigration Detainee
Medical Care.
53 DIHS Medical Dental Detainee Covered Services Package. This document lists all
covered and non-covered services offered to aliens in detention. It also clarifies which
services must be requested by a Treatment Authorization Request (TAR).
54 Personal email communication with Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
Congressional Relations, May 15, 2008. For a discussion of staffing issues and the possible
impact of staffing levels on care, see Dana Priest and Amy Goldstein, “System of Neglect:
As Tighter Immigration Policies Strain Federal Agencies, The Detainees in their Care Often
Pay a Heavy Cost,” Washington Post, May 11, 2008, p. A1.

DIHS was detailed indefinitely to ICE.55 The detail of the PHS Officers in DIHS was
accomplished via a memorandum of agreement (MOA), which also covers the
assignment of PHS resources elsewhere within DHS.56 Since the detail became
effective, ICE has provided both administrative support to DIHS and oversight of the
administration of DIHS.57 Under the MOA, DHS is responsible for the day-to-day
conduct of PHS Officers under its detail and assumes liability for their negligence or
malpractice. Lawyers in the DHS Office of Health Affairs (OHA) handle such
cl ai m s . 58
In addition, beginning on October 1, 2007, ICE has stated that it has been
collaboratively working with OHA on a variety of improvement initiatives, including
selecting a new Director for DIHS at the appropriate rank; implementing aggressive
hiring strategies to address staffing needs;59 identifying and implementing a new
electronic medical records system; and reviewing (or changing, if necessary) the
process by which Treatment Authorization Requests (TARS) are approved. ICE is
also working with OHA to develop an enhanced process for TAR appeals.60
Additional Health Care Services/Treatment Authorization Requests.
ICE has established a covered benefits package that delineates the health care
services available to detainees in ICE custody, in addition to the minimum scope of
services provided by the detention facilities.61 This package, known as the DIHS
Medical Dental Detainee Covered Services Package (CSP), primarily provides health
care services for emergency care, which is defined as “a condition that is threatening


55 Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Public Health Service, August 23, 2007.
The MOA became effective on October 1, 2007.
56 Commissioned Corps (CC) Officers of the U.S. Public Health Service are assigned to
agencies throughout the government (e.g., DOD, DHS, EPA, State, DVA, Bureau of Prisons,
and the U.S. Marshals Service). Typically, the U.S. Public Health Service executes a
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the receiving agency that provides terms for
assignment of CC Officers. The receiving agency is responsible for the CC Officer’s salary
and benefits. It may also be responsible for training, leave, etc.
57 According to ICE, DIHS remains solely responsible for detainee health care.
58 Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Public Health Service, August 23, 2007.
The MOA became effective on October 1, 2007.
59 The series in the Washington Post reported DIHS officials complaining that inadequate
medical staff was a problem and was impacting the quality of care provided. Dana Priest and
Amy Goldstein, “System of Neglect: As Tighter Immigration Policies Strain Federal
Agencies.” Deborah Howell, “The Ombudsman Reacts to Feedback from U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement,” Washington Post, June 8, 2008.
60 Testimony of Julie L. Myers, Assistant Secretary U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, in the U.S. Congress, House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on
Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, Problems withthnd
Immigration Detainee Medical Care, hearings, 110 Cong., 2 sess., June 4, 2008.
(Hereafter, Myers, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care.)
61 Mead, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care, p. 8.

to life, limb, hearing or sight,”62 rather than elective or non-emergency conditions.63
The CSP states that:
[accidental] or traumatic injuries incurred while in the custody of ICE or BP
[Border Patrol] and acute illnesses will be reviewed for appropriate care. Other
medical conditions which the physician believes, if left untreated during the
period of ICE/BP custody, would cause deterioration of the detainee’s health or
uncontrolled suffering affecting his/her deportation status will be assessed and
evaluated for care.... Elective, non-emergent care requires prior authorization....
Requests for pre-existing, non-life threatening conditions, will be reviewed on64
a case by case basis.
Detainees who require non-emergency medical care beyond that which can be
provided at the detention facilities must get preauthorization. They submit a
Treatment Authorization Request (TAR), which is evaluated by the DIHS Managed
Care Program.65 The TAR must be approved before the detainee may receive care.
According to ICE, more than 40,000 TARs are submitted each year; the average turn-
around time is 1.4 days, and 90% are approved.66 Nonetheless, some detainees have
described waiting weeks or months to get basic care.67 In addition, reportedly,
detainees have been told that biopsies were “elective surgery” and, as such, have had
trouble getting the diagnostic test.68 According to a 2007 GAO report, officials at
several detention facilities reported difficulties obtaining approval for outside
medical and mental health care.69
TAR reviews for care are conducted by DIHS nurses in Washington, DC, who
review the paperwork submitted by physicians.70 These nurses are known as


62 DIHS Medical Dental Detainee Covered Services Package, p. 1.
63 Mead, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care, p. 8.
64 DIHS Medical Dental Detainee Covered Services Package, p. 1.
65 Mead, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care, p. 8.
66 Mead, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care, p. 8.
67 Testimony of Francisco Castaneda, former ICE detainee, at in U.S. Congress, House
Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border
Security, and International Law, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medicalthst
Care, hearings, 110 Congress, 1 sess., October 4, 2007, Serial No. 110-53 (Washington:
GPO, 2007), p. 15. (Hereafter Castaneda, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee
Medical Care Hearing.)
68 Many diagnostic tests, such as biopsies or MRIs, must receive prior approval. Castaneda,
Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing, p. 17. Jawetz,
Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing, p. 57.
69 U.S. Government Accountability Office, Alien Detention Standards: Telephone Access
Problems Were Pervasive; Other Deficiencies Did not Show A Pattern of Noncompliance,
GAO-07-875 (July 2007).
70 There were four nurses who conducted reviews, but reportedly, the workload is now
spread among three people. According to testimony, these three nurses need to review and
respond to approximate 50 requests a day. McCarthy, Problems with Immigration Detainee
(continued...)

Managed Care Coordinators (MCCs). The nurses are on duty Monday through
Friday, 7:30 a.m to 4 p.m. Regardless of where the alien is held, approval from
DIHS is required for diagnostic testing, speciality care, or surgery. However, when
an ICE detainee is hospitalized, the hospital assumes medical decision-making
authority, including the patient’s drug regimen, lab tests, X-rays, and treatments.71
Off-site medical care for people in the custody of the U.S. Marshals service is
handled in a similar manner.72
Review Process for Declined TARs. According to ICE, DIHS has a
formal appeals process that is similar to industry standards and comparable to that
of the Bureau of Prisons for declined Treatment Authorization Requests (TARs).
Facilities and individual detainees have the right to appeal denial determinations.
TARs denied for lack of medical necessity may be resubmitted for reconsideration
to the Managed Care Coordinator (MCC) (i.e., the DIHS nurses in Washington DC).
If a TAR is denied for lack of timely submission, the medical records are forwarded
to the Managed Care Coordinator (MCC) Branch Chief for review.
According to DIHS Standard Operating Procedure, the Managed Care Review
Committee (MCRC) conducts a second level review for all appeals which are upheld
by the MCC. The MCRC is comprised of the DIHS Medical Director, appropriate
medical, dental, or mental health consultants, and MCC(s). Decisions of the MCRC
are made in writing within three working days of the appeal. ICE, DIHS, and OHA73


are working to develop a more independent appeal body outside of DIHS and ICE.
70 (...continued)
Medical Care.
71 Testimony of Cheryl Little, Executive Director Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, at
in U.S. Congress, House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship,
Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, Detention and Removal: Immigrationthst
Detainee Medical Care, hearings, 110 Congress, 1 sess., October 4, 2007, Serial No. 110-
53 (Washington: GPO, 2007), p. 72. (Hereafter Little, Detention and Removal: Immigration
Detainee Medical Care Hearing.)
72 However, some argue that the U.S. Marshals Service relies on the principle of medical
necessity in establishing criteria for an outside referral, whereas, ICE requires an assessment
of whether the condition will impact the alien’s deportation. ICE counters that other
medical conditions which physicians believe would cause suffering or the deterioration of
the detainee’s health are assessed and evaluated by DIHS for treatment. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement, responses to post-hearing questions, U.S. Congress, House Judiciary
Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and
International Law, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care, hearings,thst

110 Congress, 1 sess., October 4, 2007, Serial No. 110-53 (Washington: GPO, 2007), p.


261. (Hereafter ICE, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care
Hearing.) Testimony of H. Venters, M.D., in the U.S. Congress, House Judiciary
Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, andth
International Law, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care, hearings, 110nd
Cong., 2 sess., June 4, 2008. (Hereafter, Venters, Problems with Immigration Detainee
Medical Care Hearing.)
73 Personal email communication with Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
Congressional Relations, June 16, 2008. Myers, Problems with Immigration Detainee
(continued...)

Preauthorization Issues and Concerns. The preauthorization (also called
pre-certification of medical necessity) requirement is similar to those of many74
managed care/health insurers. Nonetheless, some contend that this procedure can
prevent detainees from getting the necessary care, and note that off-site nurses have75
the ability to deny care that was requested by on-site medical personnel. Reportedly,
the DIHS Medical Dental Detainee Covered Services Package (CSP) has been76
amended several times since 2005, to limit the scope of medical care for detainees.
A repeating theme in press reports and congressional testimony concerned difficulties77
getting biopsies when there is a concern about cancer.
The ACLU is involved in a class action suit regarding inadequate medical care
for immigration detainees at the San Diego Correctional Facility, and contends that
there are serious deficiencies in the CSP which should be fixed to ensure that
detainees receive adequate medical care consistent with the ICE Detention Standards78
on Medical Care. The CSP primarily provides health care services for emergencies
only. According to the ACLU, as recently as August 2005, the CSP did not extend
to pre-existing conditions. In his testimony, Tom Jawetz of the ACLU argued that
there is a disconnect between ICE’s Detention Standards and the CSP. In addition,
he contends that “the standard is inconsistent with established principles of
constitutional law and basic notions of decency.”79
Representative Zoe Lofgren also stated in a question to ICE at the October 2007
hearing that there seems to be an inconsistency between the CSP and the Detention
Standards because the CSP states that medical conditions will be evaluated for
treatment based on the criteria that, “if left untreated during the period of ICE/BP
custody [the medical condition] would cause deterioration of the detainee’s health
or uncontrolled suffering affecting his/her deportation status [emphasis added],” (i.e.,
the detainees health issues would have to jeopardize the ability of ICE to remove the


73 (...continued)
Medical Care.
74 For a discussion of managed care and other types of health insurance systems, see CRS
Report RL32237, Health Insurance: A Primer, by Bernadette Fernandez.
75 For example, see testimony of Tom Jawetz, ACLU National Prison Project, U.S.
Congress, House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship,
Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, Detention and Removal: Immigrationthst
Detainee Medical Care, hearings, 110 Congress, 1 sess., October 4, 2007, Serial No. 110-

53 (Washington: GPO, 2007), p. 56. (Hereafter Jawetz, Detention and Removal:


Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing.) Also, McCarthy, Problems with
Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing.
76 Venters, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing.
77 See Dana Priest and Amy Goldstein, “In Custody, In Pain,” Washington Post, May 12,
2008, p. A1. Castaneda, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care
Hearing.
78 Complaint for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief, Woods v. Myers, docket number
unavailable, (S.D.Cal. filed June 13, 2007). Also, Jawetz, Detention and Removal:
Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing, p. 56.
79 Jawetz , Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing, p. 58.

alien before treatment would be rendered.)80 ICE responded that it disagrees that the
Detention Standards and CSP are inconsistent. ICE contends that all detainees
receive medical treatment when DIHS determines that care is required, “regardless
of whether the alien is about to be deported or not.”81
Other Reported Issues with Detainee Health Care. There have been82
reports of problems with detainees being transferred without their medical records.
ICE does not have a system to track the transfer of medication and medical records83
of detainees. Some lawyers described difficulties getting access to medical records
on their client’s behalf.84 Other detainees have complained about problems with85
getting interpreters during medical treatment. Female detainees have also reported
not getting regular gynecological or needed obstetric care.86
Governmental Reports on Compliance with the
Medical Care Detention Standards
The following section synthesizes the finding in three U.S. government reports
that examined selected detention facilities’ compliance with all or some of the
National Detention Standards. All three reports examined compliance with the
Medical Care standard. The reports are as follows:
!U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Detention
and Removal (DRO), Semiannual Report on Compliance with ICE
National Detention Standards: January — June 2007, May 9, 2008.
!Government Accountability Office (GAO), Alien Detention
Standards: Telephone Access Problems Were Pervasive at Detention
Facilities; Other Deficiencies Did Not Show a Pattern of
Noncompliance, GAO-07-875, July 2007.


80 Statement by Representative Zoe Lofgren, hearing 110th Congress, 1st sess., “Detention
and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care,” before the House Judiciary Committee,
Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International
Law, October 4, 2007, Serial No. 110-53.
81 ICE, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing, p. 275.
82 McCarthy, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing.
83 ICE, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing, p. 262.
84 Little, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing, p. 93.
85 Testimony of Dr. Allen S. Keller, Associate Professor of Medicine, NYU, Director
Bellevue/NYU program for Survivors of Torture, U.S. Congress, House Judiciary
Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and
International Law, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care, hearings,thst

110 Congress, 1 sess., October 4, 2007, Serial No. 110-53 (Washington: GPO, 2007), p.


65.


86 Little, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing, p. 76.

!Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General
(DHS OIG), Treatment of Immigration Detainees Housed at
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Facilities, OIG-07-01,
December 2006.
Table 1 presents the time period of the reviews, the number of facilities reviewed,
and the total number of standards evaluated for the studies discussed.
Table 1. Overview of Selected Government Studies on
Compliance with Detention Standards
Time-Frame forFacilitiesStandards
St udy Re vi e w Evaluated Evaluated
DROJanuary 2007 to175All (38)
June 2007
GAOMay 2006 to 238
May 2007
DHS OIGJune 2004 to 54
January 2006
DRO Semiannual Report
In May 2008, ICE released its first semiannual report on compliance with the
National Detention Standards. The report covers reviews conducted during the first87
six months of 2007 and includes the inspections of more than 175 facilities. The
report rated the facilities on the Detention Standards as either “acceptable” or88
“deficient.” Overall, on the medical care standard, 98% of the facilities were rated
acceptable, while 2% were rated deficient. Of the evaluated Service Processing
Centers (SPCs) owned and operated by ICE, 80% were rated acceptable, while 20%
were rated deficient.89
GAO Alien Detention Standards
In July 2007, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released an audit
of 23 detention facilities. GAO found a lack of adherence to the medical care
standards at 3 of the 23 facilities, including failing to administer the mandatory
physical exams within 14 days of admission and failure to administer medical


87 In 2007, the Assistant Secretary of ICE directed that the Office of Detention and Removal
(DRO) report semiannually on agency-wide adherence with the National Detention
Standards. This is the first report issued under this directive. U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement, Office of Detention and Removal, Semiannual Report on
Compliance with ICE National Detention Standards: January — June 2007, May 9, 2008.
88 Acceptable is the baseline for the ratings system meaning that the detention functions are
being adequately performed. Deficient means that the function is not being performed at an
acceptable level.
89 There are eight SPCs, and seven were rated.

screening immediately after admission. In addition, GAO found that concerns about
medical care were common reasons for aliens to file complaints.90
DHS OIG Report
The DHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) conducted an audit of
compliance with selected detention standards at five facilities used to house
immigration detainees.91 Of the five facilities reviewed, DIHS managed and
administered health care at two facilities. At the other three facilities, DIHS was
responsible for approving off-site care, but the on-site care was administered by
contractors at those facilities. The OIG identified instances of non-compliance with
the medical care standards at four of the five detention facilities, including failure to
provide timely initial medical care. The one facility found to be in full compliance
with the standards for initial medical screening and physical examination was Krome
SPC, where medical care is provided by DIHS.92
The OIG stated in its review that the Detention Standards on sick calls do not
clearly define what is considered a timely response to a non-emergency sick call
request. Thus, the report found that in the absence of standards, local detention
facilities have established differing policies regarding response time to non-
emergency care. Nonetheless, at three of the detention facilities (two local prisons
and one contract facility), 196 out of 481 detainee non-emergency medical requests
were not responded to in the time-frame specified by the facility.93 As a result, the
OIG recommended that ICE develop specific criteria to define a reasonable time for
medical treatment. ICE responded to the recommendation, concurring in part and
promising to examine the merits of the issue, but contending that its medical program
provides adequate detainee care and is consistent with industry standards. ICE also
stated that it “must rely on its service providers to make medical decisions regarding


90 Government Accountability Office, Alien Detention Standards: Telephone Access
Problems Were Pervasive at Detention Facilities; Other Deficiencies Did Not Show a
Pattern of Noncompliance, GAO-07-875, July 2007. (Hereafter GAO, Alien Detention
Standards.)
91 The facilities included the Krome Service Processing Center in Miami, FL; the
Corrections Corporation of America Facility in San Diego, CA (a contract facility); and
three local jails — Berks County Prison, Leesport, PA; Hudson County Corrections Center,
Kearny, NJ; and Passaic County Jail, Paterson, NJ. Department of Homeland Security,
Office of the Inspector General, Treatment of Immigration Detainees Housed at
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Facilities, OIG-07-01, December 2006. (Hereafter
OIG, Treatment of Immigration Detainees Housed at Immigration and Customs
Enforcement Facilities.)
92 OIG, Treatment of Immigration Detainees Housed at Immigration and Customs
Enforcement Facilities, p. 3.
93 OIG, Treatment of Immigration Detainees Housed at Immigration and Customs
Enforcement Facilities, p. 4.

the provision of medical care and any criteria to be established that would determine
timeliness.”94
Selected Issues
Reports of inadequate care being provided to detainees raise several policy
issues pertaining to the health care provided to the detained noncitizen population.
First, the detention population, both in funded bed space and in the total detention
population, increased between FY2003 and FY2007 raising interest in spending on
detainee medical care, and concerns that spending has not increased in the same
proportion as the detained population. In addition, ICE has the authority to release
aliens due to medical and psychological problems, elevating interest in the existing
guidelines and practices for medical release, and their adequacy. Similarly, due to
the likely special needs of asylum seekers in detention, another policy issue focuses
on whether proper care is and can be provided to this population within a detention
setting.
While every death is regrettable, preventable deaths of aliens in detention who
are reliant on the government for medical care heighten concerns about the quality
of health care. Doubts about the propriety of the number of deaths in detention as a
reliable measure of standard of care, lead to the policy question of which measures
would provide insight into the adequacy and quality of care. Finally, an overarching
debate on this issue concerns the appropriate standard of health care that should be
provided to foreign nationals in immigration detention. This debate is especially
emotional because of the balancing act between basic human rights and the cost of
health care when U.S. citizens also face barriers in accessing health care.95
Spending on Detainee Health Care96
Concerns about the adequacy of health care for detained aliens has increased
interest in funding for detainee medical care. As shown in Table 2, from FY2003
to FY2007, the total amount spent on detainee medical care increased by 83%, from
$50 million to $92 million.97 During that same time period, the total amount of


94 OIG, Treatment of Immigration Detainees Housed at Immigration and Customs
Enforcement Facilities, p. 46.
95 For more information on the uninsured, see CRS Report 96-891, Health Insurance
Coverage: Characteristics of the Insured and Uninsured Populations in 2006, by Chris L.
Peterson and April Grady.
96 ICE reimburses DHS’s Office of Health Affairs (OHA), and OHA reimburses HHS for
the services performed by the PHS Officers.
97 During the same time period, the total annual detained population increased 34% and the
average daily detention population increased 43% (see Figure 1). Nonetheless, to have a
fair comparison of whether the increase in medical care expenditures has matched the
increase in the detention population, one would have to know the number of person-days of
aliens in detention.

funded bed space increased by 41%.98 The total amount of funds spent on ICE
detainee health care increased between FY2003 and FY2004. Between FY2004 and
FY2006, the total expenditures on detainee health care fluctuated but remained
between $70 and $74 million. Between FY2006 and FY2007, the total expenditures
increased from $74 million to $92 million.
Most of the increase in total spending on detainee health care was from
increases in program operations, not in medical claims, which are for services
rendered by an off-site health care provider to detainees. The total amount of money
spent on detainee health care program operations doubled between FY2003 and
FY2007. However, the funds expended for medical claims increased between
FY2003 and FY2004, then decreased between FY2004 and FY2005. Between
FY2005 and FY2007, expenditures on medical claims remained almost constant.
During the same time, the funded amount of bed space increased by 49%.99
Table 2. Expenditures on Health Care for Detainees and
Funded Bed Space, FY2003-FY2007
FYProgramOperationsMedicalClaimsTotalFunded BedSpace
2003 $30,065,834 $20,000,000 $50,065,834 19,444
2004 $33,851,607 $40,443,028 $74,294,635 19,444
2005 $39,777,000 $30,672,928 $70,449,928 18,500
2006 $43,310,792 $30,301,850 $73,612,642 20,800
2007 $60,900,000 $30,714,307 $91,614,307 27,500
Total $207,905,233 $152,132,113 $360,037,346
Source: DHS, Office of Public Affairs, U.S. ICE Fact Sheet, Mortality Rates at ICE Detention
Facilities, May 2008, p. 2.
Note: Program operations refer to the operational costs for the program area. Medical claims are
services rendered by an off-site health care provider to detainees.
Medical Release From Detention
ICE has the authority to release aliens due to medical and psychological
problems; however, how often this authority is exercised and whether it is used
effectively is unknown. ICE has prosecutorial discretion in determining custody for
aliens with humanitarian (including medical) concerns. The alien may be released


98 A better comparison would be the number of detention-days of detainees (i.e, if one
detainee was detained for five days and another detainee for 10 days, the total number of
detention days would be 15.) Unfortunately, these data were not available.
99 Dr. Homer Venters testified that by comparison Rikers Island Jail in New York City
annually detains roughly half the people that ICE detains on a given day, but has spent over
$100 million annually during the last decade for a population that averages less time in
detention than ICE detainees. Venters, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care
Hearing.

into an Alternatives to Detention program,100 released on an Order of Supervision, or
released on his or her own recognizance. These decisions are made on a case-by-case
basis, “whenever a medical or psychiatric evaluation makes the alien’s detention
problematic and/or removal [from the United States] unlikely.” ICE does not keep
track of how often this discretion is exercised.101
Health Care for Detained Asylum Seekers
While there is general debate about the merits of detaining asylum seekers,
asylum seekers often have medical and psychological issues and it is not clear how
well-equipped the detention health care system is to deal with the specific physical
and psychological needs of asylum seekers.102 As discussed, aliens in expedited
removal must be detained, and thus aliens in expedited removal who claim asylum
are detained while their “credible fear” cases are pending, and they may then be
detained while their case is decided. In FY2006, 5,761 asylum seekers were
detained, and 1,559 (27%) were detained for more than 180 days.103 Notably, some
claim that the practice of detaining asylum seekers has helped reduced the number
of fraudulent asylum claims.104
However, the position of the United Nations High Commission on Refugees is
that detaining asylum seekers is “inherently undesirable.” It argues that detention
may be psychologically damaging to an already fragile population such as those who
are escaping from imprisonment and torture in their countries. Often, the asylum
seeker does not understand why he or she is being detained, which can increase
psychological stress.105 In addition, asylum seekers may have unusual medical


100 The program provides less restrictive alternatives to detention, using such tools as
electronic monitoring devices (e.g., ankle bracelets), home visits, work visits, and reporting
by telephone, to monitor aliens who are out on bond while awaiting hearings during removal
proceedings or the appeals process.
101 Immigration and Customs Enforcement, responses to post-hearing questions, hearing

110th Congress, 1st sess., “Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care,”


before the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship,
Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, October 4, 2007, Serial No. 110-53, p.

263.


102 For example, see Venters, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing.).
Also, see Little, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing.
103 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FY2006 Detained Asylum Seekers, Report
Pursuant to §904 of the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (P.L. 105-277).
104 David A. Martin, The 1995 Asylum Reforms: A Historical and Global Perspective,
(Washington, DC: Center for Immigration Studies, May 2000). Available at
[ ht t p: / / www.ci s.or g/ ar t i c l e s/ 2000/ back500.ht ml ] .
105 Office of the of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHRC Revised
Guidelines on Applicable Criteria and Standards Relating to the Detention of Asylum
Seekers, February 1999, p. 1.

conditions resulting from the imprisonment and torture suffered in their home
countries. 106
Nonetheless, ICE reports that it routinely provides medical care for life-
threatening conditions, such as cardiac arrest, kidney disease, HIV/AIDS,
hypertension, and diabetes. As discussed earlier in the report, according to ICE
detainees receive dental care, physical exams, sick call visits, prescription drugs, and
mental health services. ICE states that staff are trained to spot detainees who may be
at risk of suicide, and to use prevention and intervention techniques to assist such
detainees. Between May 2007 and May 2008, psychologists and social workers have
managed a daily population of over 1,350 seriously mentally ill detainees without a
single suicide.107 Thus, current ICE procedures may adequately address the health
care needs of detained asylum seekers.
Deaths in Custody
Two policy issues become highlighted when a detainee dies in custody. The first
issue concerns the quality of oversight when a death occurs and whether there is
enough oversight to identify possible cases of inadequate care. Secondly, while a
detainee’s death may heighten concerns about the quality of health care, there are
doubts about the propriety of using deaths in detention as a reliable measure of
standard of care. What follows is a discussion of these two issues.
Procedures. Although there is a system to report the death of a detainee,
some question whether there is effective oversight when a death occurs in108
detention. Current ICE procedure dictates that when a detainee dies while in the
custody of ICE’s Detention and Removal Office (DRO), the death is to be reported
to ICE headquarters via a system known as the Significant Event Notification (SEN)
system. Under its proceedures, DRO is also supposed to report detainee deaths to the
ICE Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) and to the DHS Office of the
Inspector General (OIG) so that they can conduct independent reviews of the


106 In 2003-2004, the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) conducted a program to
educate jail staff on the medical and mental health needs of the detained immigrant
population, and to help them better understand the unique experiences of asylum seekers,
torture victims, and victims of domestic violence in immigration detention. The training
also included information on tropical medicine and infectious diseases. Reportedly, the
project was well received, and NIJC reached out to DIHS without success to share findings
and seek their involvement. Testimony of Mary Meg McCarthy, Executive Director,
National Immigrant Justice Center, in the U.S. Congress, House Judiciary Committee,
Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and Internationalthnd
Law, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care, hearings, 110 Cong., 2 sess.,
June 4, 2008. (Hereafter, McCarthy, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care.)
Little, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing.
107 Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Detainee Health Care: The Rest of the Story,
May 19, 2008. Available at [http://www.ice.gov/pi/detention_health_care.htm], accessed
July 1, 2008.
108 Nina Bernstein, “New Scrutiny as Immigrants Die in Custody,” The New York Times,
June 26, 2007, p. A1.

incident. In addition, deaths are referred to the local medical examiner’s office,
which decides whether to perform an autopsy. The OIG is also notified of the death
by the Joint Intake Center (JIC), which is notified by the SEN system and sends all
records regarding the death (including those from the local medical examiner) to the
OIG. The OIG may accept the case for investigation or may decline and refer the
case back to the JIC for referral to the Office of Professional Responsibility.109
Table 3. Number of Deaths in Custody, Calendar Year 2004-2007
Calendar YearNumber of Deaths
200429
200515
200616
20077
2008 (as of May 2, 2008)4
Source: DHS, Office of Public Affairs, U.S. ICE Fact Sheet, Mortality Rates at ICE Detention
Facilities, May 2008.
Death Rates. ICE has reported a decline in the number of deaths of aliens in
detention between 2004 and 2008. Some, however, question whether mortality rates
should be used in appraising health care in a transitional population, and truly reflect
the quality of care provided to detainees. In May 2008, ICE published a fact sheet
reporting that there were 71 deaths in immigration detention facilities from calendar
year 2004 (inclusive) through May 2, 2008 (see Table 3). ICE reported a decline in
the number of detainee deaths between 2004 and 2008, a period when the detainee
population increased. ICE also asserted that the mortality rate in its facilities is lower
than in U.S. prisons and jails and the general U.S. population.110
A critical analysis of the death rates was published by physicians at the New
York University School of Medicine, who commented that ICE’s comparisons were
not valid because, among other things, the respective mortality rates had not been
adjusted for age or for length of detention.111 These doctors stated that mortality is


109 Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee
Medical Care Hearing, p. 274.
110 DHS, Office of Public Affairs, U.S. ICE Fact sheet, Mortality Rates at ICE Detention
Facilities, May 2008.
111 H. Venters, MD, and A. Keller, MD, “Response to Immigration and Customs
Enforcement Fact Sheet on Detainee Deaths,” letter, May 12, 2008. See also Venters,
Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing. According to John M. Last,
A Dictionary of Public Health, “It is called a ‘crude’ death rate because no adjustment is
made to allow for age composition of the population or for other conditions or
circumstances. Thus, comparisons of crude death rates in different populations are of
limited value and must be interpreted with caution.” Oxford University Press, 2007, p. 81,
definition of “crude death rate.” Because of varying lengths of detention, it is argued that
valid comparisons between ICE and other federal detention facilities could be made only by
(continued...)

an imprecise method for appraising health care in a transitional population, and that
morbidity which refers to sickness or having a disease would be a better measure of
ICE healthcare. They also stated that, in their calculations, the length-adjusted
mortality rate for detainees increased between 2006 and 2007.112 In addition, critics
of the reported death rates stated that those who die outside the facilities but whose
deaths were precipitated by their time in detention are not included in the mortality
rates.113
Proper Standard of Care
There is debate about the appropriate standard of care that should be provided
to aliens in detention. Many U.S. citizens lack health insurance and face barriers in
accessing health care,114 and there are issues of patient safety in many medical
settings, not just in correctional facilities.115 In addition, a proportion of aliens are in
detention who are not authorized to be in the country. The cost of care for aliens in
detention is paid by the American taxpayer. Reportedly, the health care provided to
detained aliens tends to be similar to that provided to those in criminal incarceration.
According to a press report, ICE has argued that some aliens are getting better health
care in detention than they would in their home countries and that they had received
earlier in their lives.116 Assistant Secretary of ICE, Julie Myers testified that in


111 (...continued)
comparing person-days of detention, though data in that format may not be available. In
order to be valid, comparisons to the U.S. general population would require, at a minimum,
age adjustment and some type of adjustment for detentions that are less that one year in
duration.
112 Venters, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing.
113 For example, Francisco Castaneda was in ICE detention for 11 months, and during that
time, he reportedly did not receive a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis of penile cancer or any
treatment for his cancer. He died a year after being released, and some contend that his
death was hastened by the lack of care that he received while in ICE custody. The U.S.
government has admitted negligence in Castaneda’s death. Castaneda, Detention and
Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing. Defendant United States of
America’s Notice of Admission of Liability for Medical Negligence, Castaneda v. United
States, No. CV07-07241 (C.D. Cal. April 24, 2008).
114 For more information on the uninsured, see CRS Report 96-891, Health Insurance
Coverage: Characteristics of the Insured and Uninsured Populations in 2006, by Chris L.
Peterson and April Grady.
115 Edward Harrison, President of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care,
testified that each year as many as 15 million patient injuries occur in health care settings,
and between 100,000 to 200,000 deaths occur from unintended injury. He also stated that
within the world of corrections, treatment can be more complicated and more susceptible
to problems than in the community. Testimony of Edward Harrison, President National
Commission on Correctional Health Care, in the U.S. Congress, House Judiciary
Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, andth
International Law, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care, hearings, 110nd
Cong., 2 sess., June 4, 2008.
116 Deborah Block, “US Immigration Detainees Lack Health Care,” Voice of America
(continued...)

FY2007, 34% of detainees screened were diagnosed with and treated for preexisting
chronic conditions (e.g., hypertension, diabetes), and many of these detainees would
not have known of their medical condition or received treatment if it were not for the
comprehensive health screening they obtained when entering the detention system.117
In addition, some health care decisions need to be made with the consideration that
the alien is going to be removed to a country where he or she may not be able to get
any follow-up care.118
Some contend that despite ICE’s acknowledgment of the substantial burden of
chronic diseases among the detained population, the ICE health plan focuses on an
acute care model, and is not crafted for a population with significant chronic medical
or mental health needs.119 Some aliens in detention, especially long-term residents,
do have health insurance but are unable to use it. Some further allege that officers
frequently view ICE detainees as criminals, even when they do not have a criminal
record, and as such are sometimes quick to assume that the detainees are faking their
illnesses, and sometimes slow to get the aliens care.120
Legislation in the 110th Congress
H.R. 5950/S. 3005
The Detainee Basic Medical Care Act of 2008, H.R. 5950, was introduced by
Representative Zoe Lofgren on May 1, 2008. The companion bill, S. 3005, was
introduced by Senator Robert Menendez on May 12, 2008. The bills would require
the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish procedures for the timely and
effective delivery of medical and mental health care to immigration detainees,
designed to ensure continuity of care throughout the alien’s detention. The
procedures would be required to address all health needs, including but not limited
to primary care, emergency care, prenatal care, dental care, eye care, and mental
health care. The procedures would have to be designed to ensure that


116 (...continued)
News.Com, July 16, 2007. Available at [http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-07/

2007-07-16-voa29.cfm?CFID=7508474&CFTOKEN=99920865], accessed July 1, 2008.


117 Myers, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care.
118 For example, when providing antibiotics, the medical providers need to take into account
whether the alien will be able to finish a course of treatment before removal or will have
access to the medication when he or she is removed, as a partial course of antibiotics could
make the patient worse or create a drug-resident microbe. Personal conversation with U.S.
Public Health Service Officers at the El Paso SPC, August 2004.
119 Venters, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing.
120 Testimony of Rev. E. Roy Riley, in the U.S. Congress, House Judiciary Committee,
Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and Internationalthnd
Law, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care, hearings, 110 Cong., 2 sess.,
June 4, 2008. Little, Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing,
p. 95. See also, Venters, Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care Hearing.

! each detainee receives a comprehensive medical and mental health
screening upon intake;
!each detainee receives a comprehensive medical and mental health
examination and assessment within 14 days after arrival at the
detention facility;
!each detainee taking prescribed medications is allowed to continue
taking such medications on schedule and without interruption; and
!each detainee with a serious medical or mental condition, subject to
immigration laws, be given priority consideration for release on
parole, bond, or an alternative to detention program.
The procedures would also be required to ensure that medical records are
accessible by the detainee or his or her designate, and are transferred if the detainee
is moved to another detention facility. Also, H.R. 5950/S. 3005 would require the
procedures to include “discharge planning” for aliens with serious medical or mental
health conditions to ensure continuity of care, for a reasonable period of time, upon
removal or release from detention.121
The bills would also require the Secretary of DHS to establish an administrative
appeals process for denials of medical or mental health care. The process would
include the opportunity to appeal the denial of services to an impartial board. H.R.
5950/S. 3005 would require that the Secretary report to the Inspector Generals of the
Departments of Homeland Security and Justice information regarding a detainee’s
death no later than 48 hours after the death of the detainee. The bills would also
require an annual report to Congress detailing any detainee deaths during the
previous fiscal year.


121 During the hearing on detainee health care held on June 4, 2008, several Members raised
concern about the meaning of “a reasonable period of time,” stating that it could mean that
the U.S. government would have to provide care indefinitely for certain aliens.
Representative Lofgren stated that indefinite care was not the intent of the language and she
would be willing to work with her colleagues on the committee to amend the wording.thnd
Hearing 110 Congress, 2 sess., “Problems with Immigration Detainee Medical Care,”
before the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship,
Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, June 4, 2008.

Appendix. Detention Statistics
On an average day, up to 33,000 immigration detainees are in ICE’s custody in122
more than 300 facilities nationwide. The average stay is 37.5 days. In FY2007,
a total of 311,213 aliens were detained by ICE.123 As of April 30, 2007, ICE reported
that, cumulatively, 25% of all detained aliens were removed within four days, 50%
within 18 days, 75% within 44 days, 90% within 85 days, 95% within 126 days, and
98% within 210 days (see Table 4). For FY2006, approximately 48% of the aliens
in detention were criminal aliens.124
Table 4. Percentage Removed and Percentage Remaining
in Detention, April 30, 2007
CumulativeCumulative Percentage
Days Percentage RemovedRemaining in Detention

00%100%


425%75%


1850%50%


4475%25%


8590%10%


12695%5%


21098%2%


Source: CRS presentation of data from Government Accountability Office, Alien Detention
Standards: Telephone Access Problems Were Pervasive at Detention Facilities; Other Deficiencies
Did Not Show a Pattern of Noncompliance, GAO-07-875, July 2007, p. 48.
As Figure 1 shows, the average daily detained population increased between
FY2003 and FY2004 and then decreased between FY2004 and FY2006. The daily
average detained population increased significantly between FY2006 and FY2007,
from 20,594 to 30,295 detainees. As of December 31, 2007, the average daily
detention population for FY2008 was larger than the FY2007 average daily
population. For FY2008, as of December 31, 2007, the average daily detained
population was 31,244.125


122 Detention and Removal Office, DRO: Detainee Health Care, May 7, 2008. (Hereafter
DRO, DRO: Detainee Health Care.)
123 DHS, Office of Public Affairs, U.S. ICE Fact sheet, Mortality Rates at ICE Detention
Facilities, May 2008.
124 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FY2006 Detainees Not Seeking Asylum,
Report Pursuant to §904 of the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (P.L. 105-277).
125 Unpublished DHS data obtained from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs
Enforcement Office of Congressional Affairs, Department of Homeland Security, January

31, 2008.



Figure 1. Total Detained Population and Average Daily
Detention Population, FY2003-FY2007


350,000
Total Detained Population!
311,213Average Daily Population&
!300,000
254,383
!234,198250,000
231,500 231,804
!!!
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
21,133 21,298 19,718 20,594 30,295
& && & &
0
FY2003 FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 FY2007
Source: CRS presentation of DHS data. Average daily detention population: FY2003, Yearbook of
Immigration Statistics; FY2004-FY2005, Immigration Enforcement Actions; FY2006-FY2008
unpublished DHS data. The total detained population is CRS presentation of DHS, Office of Public
Affairs, U.S. ICE Fact sheet, Mortality Rates at ICE Detention Facilities, May 2008.
As illustrated in Figure 1, the total number of aliens detained by ICE during the
fiscal year was fairly consistent between FY2003 and FY2005, and then increased in
both FY2006 and FY2007. In FY2007, ICE detained 79,713 (34%) more noncitizens
than in FY2003. Some of the increase in the total annual detention population was
due to the expansion of expedited removal. Aliens in expedited removal are
mandatorily detained but tend to be in detention for shorter periods of time than other
aliens because they are not entitled to the same judicial review as aliens who are not
subject to expedited removal (i.e., who are in removal proceedings under INA126
§241).
126 Those in expedited removal may be removed without any further hearings or review,
unless the alien indicates a fear of persecution. For more on expedited removal, see CRS
Report RL33109, Immigration Policy on Expedited Removal of Aliens, by Alison Siskin and
Ruth Ellen Wasem.