The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sent a letter to federal immigration officials April 13, urging them to provide adequate care to detained expectant mothers and to avoid arresting or detaining pregnant and postpartum women.
“No matter one’s immigration status,” the letter read, “there is no overarching justification for separating nursing infants from their mothers or endangering the health and safety of pregnant women or their preborn babies.”
The letter was addressed to Markwayne Mullin, the recently confirmed secretary of homeland security, and Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was signed by Bishop Daniel Thomas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, chairman of the organization’s Committee on Migration.
The bishops called on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to "consistently abide” by Directive 11032.4, Identification and Monitoring of Pregnant, Postpartum, or Nursing Individuals, which requires identifying and caring for pregnant, postpartum, or nursing mothers while generally limiting their detention to “exceptional circumstances."
Compelled by the Gospel’s call to "uphold the dignity of human life,” the bishops said they are concerned the directive is no longer being followed in practice. They cited matters of “grave concern,” such as reports that detained pregnant women have miscarried after receiving insufficient medical care and cases where mothers in ICE custody have been separated from their infants.
They concluded by urging the administration to extend its effort and commitment to uphold the dignity of life for vulnerable mothers and the preborn.