On April 28, a nurse at the Aurora ICE Processing Center in Colorado urgently called 911 about a four-month pregnant detainee who arrived bleeding and in distress. Responding dispatchers inquired about the woman’s condition, but the nurse lacked equipment to assess the fetus’s well-being, highlighting the beleaguered medical infrastructure within ICE detention facilities. This incident reflects a broader crisis, characterized by increasing medical emergencies and inadequate responses in such centers.
A WIRED investigation into emergency calls from ten large ICE detention centers revealed a troubling rise in serious medical crises. The records showcased alarming instances of pregnancy complications, suicide attempts, and sexual assault allegations, as well as previous human rights violations. Since January, nearly 400 calls for emergencies were logged across these facilities, with significant numbers relating to cardiac episodes, seizures, head injuries, and suicide attempts. These figures likely underestimate the true extent of medical emergencies due to poor reporting protocols and sparse documentation.
Communication barriers intensified several emergencies. In March, a detainee at Stewart Detention Center in Georgia managed to contact 911, but the call was answered by facility staff who did not relay the urgency, resulting in no ambulance dispatch. The growing number of detainees—over 59,000—has led to overcrowding, worsening conditions, and delays in emergency responses. The influx of detainees has been exacerbated by recent directives aimed at increasing detainment numbers, placing more people in facilities stretched beyond their capacity.
Their isolation in rural areas, like Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, compounded medical vulnerabilities. The region had experienced hospital closures, leading to essential transport delays twice as long as average. Emergencies that necessitated 911 calls languished for hours, with medical teams overwhelmed and unable to provide timely care.
Stewart’s situation further deteriorated in 2025, with a surge in serious medical issues reported, including triple the number of emergency medical attention cases compared to the previous year, despite only a slight increase in detainee population. Heart attack incidents, seizures, and suicides have been common, with reports of in-custody deaths rising alarmingly.
Individual accounts from former detainees about overcrowded conditions signal a lack of proper medical treatment. Family members reported that detainees often slept on mats in hallways, exacerbating stress and illness. Calls to emergency services increased dramatically, indicating a panic response not only to health crises but also to the rising desperation among detainees.
Detainees with chronic health conditions were often relocated from urban areas to isolated detention facilities, suffering exposure to inferior medical care. Experts and advocates emphasized that pregnancy and postpartum detainees face significant risk due to these practices, with cases showing a pattern of neglect.
In addition to medical neglect, allegations of sexual abuse within detention facilities remained a pressing concern. Dispatch records indicated multiple reports of sexual assaults, highlighting a potential crisis of oversight in the system. Previous investigations have documented widespread failures in addressing allegations, leading to a culture of impunity.
Despite assertions from ICE and private operators concerning the quality of medical care within detention centers, the reality depicted in dispatch logs and personal testimony paints a far bleaker picture of systemic failures. As overcrowding and inadequate medical responses continue to escalate, advocates warn that the situation within ICE facilities could lead to further health deterioration and loss of life among a vulnerable population.
The implications of these findings call for urgent reevaluation of detention policies, emergency response protocols, and scrutiny of the care provided to detainees—particularly those in stages of pregnancy and with pre-existing medical conditions. The growing chorus of alarm voiced by attorneys, advocates, and family members encapsulates a dire need for reform within a system that often prioritizes enforcement over the health and well-being of individuals it detains.
