News

NY Times Letter to the Editor May, 9, 2008

To the Editor:

Your article describing medical care at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities does not provide a balanced view. ICE has invested heavily in the welfare of its detained alien population and strives to maintain safe, secure and humane detention conditions. To ensure the highest quality healthcare, ICE complies with standards of the American Correctional Association, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, the Joint Commission, and the ICE National Detention Standards.

ICE has improved internal management oversight by establishing an independent Detention Facilities Inspection Group which reviews and validates inspections, ensures consistent application of standards and verifies that corrective actions are taken.  Additionally, ICE has on-site quality assurance professionals at each of our 40 largest facilities.  Smaller facilities are visited on a rotational basis. 

The agency has seen a dramatic decline in the number of detainee deaths in the past few years from 10.8 per 100,000 in 2004 to 3.5 per 100,000 in 2007.

Detention of individuals unlawfully in the United States pending removal raises strong opinions and merits a more balanced view.

Sincerely,