Shaheen, Hassan to DHS IG: Investigate Alleged Forced Hysterectomies at ICE Facility

(Washington, DC)— U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined a group of Senators last week in calling on the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general to expeditiously investigate a whistleblower complaint alleging forced hysterectomies at the Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC) in Ocilla, GA.

“Forced sterilizations infringe on reproductive rights and autonomy,” the Senators wrote. “To understand whether such violations may have been committed against immigrants in our federal government’s custody, the Inspector General’s Office should immediately investigate the reproductive health policies and practices at the ICDC and at other facilities, including but not limited to, all instances of forced, coerced, or medically unnecessary hysterectomies.”

The letter was led by U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bob Casey (D-PA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), and was signed by U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tom Udall (D-NM), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Angus King (I-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Gary Peters (D-MI) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).

Full text of the letter is available here.