Laurel Duggan, DCNF
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will transfer pregnant migrant women across state lines for abortions when they are detained in states where abortion is illegal, according to ICE guidance obtained by The Wall Street Journal.
The guidance is an extension of an existing ICE policy of helping detained immigrants get abortions in cases of rape, incest and to protect the life of a mother, according to the WSJ. The memo will be sent out later this week in response to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, in advance of any potential conflicts between ICE and states that have outlawed abortion.
“This memorandum serves as a reminder of existing ICE policies and standards requiring that pregnant individuals detained in ICE immigration custody have access to full reproductive health care,” the memo states. “This is also a reminder that, pursuant to existing ICE policy, it may be necessary to transfer a detained pregnant individual within an area of responsibility (AOR) or to another AOR, when appropriate and practicable, in order to ensure such access.”
“We will not detain individuals known to be pregnant, postpartum, or nursing unless release is prohibited by law or exceptional circumstances exist,” said Acting ICE Director. Read more here: https://t.co/TMNO3HG4tt pic.twitter.com/AgKmpLy1rh
— ICE (@ICEgov) July 9, 2021
ICE announced in June 2021 that it would stop detaining women who are known to be pregnant.
The new guidance is the latest move from the Biden administration to promote abortion access through the federal bureaucracy despite state laws banning the procedure. The Department of Health and Human Services under Biden is pressuring healthcare providers to perform abortions in emergency situations regardless of state laws, and Biden is considering declaring a federal public health emergency to promote abortion access.
ICE did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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