Kamlager-Dove Pushes Updated Pregnant Women in Custody Act to End Abuse in Immigration Detention

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) is back with an updated Pregnant Women in Custody Act aimed squarely at ending the systemic abuses pregnant women face in immigration detention. This revamped legislation expands protections beyond prisons to include U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). It raises the bar on healthcare, bans harmful practices like shackling, and demands transparency and enforcement mechanisms.

Recent investigations have exposed horrifying conditions: pregnant detainees shackled during labor, denied critical medical care, and suffering miscarriages while in custody. Despite a Biden administration policy that supposedly limits ICE detentions of pregnant and postpartum women, data shows 363 such women were deported between January 2025 and February 2026, with 16 miscarriages recorded. The stark reality is that these women remain vulnerable to neglect and abuse, with little legal protection.

Kamlager-Dove’s bill responds to this crisis by setting enforceable standards for care, including mental health and substance use treatment, family unity, and high-risk pregnancy management. It also addresses racial disparities, highlighting that Black women—who make up 20 percent of pregnant detainees—face disproportionate harm due to systemic inequities.

Advocates like NAACP’s Patrice Willoughby and Vera Institute’s Aiden Cotter emphasize that pregnancy in custody should never mean risking health or dignity. The bill’s coalition of cosponsors and endorsements from civil rights and maternal health organizations signal a growing push to hold federal agencies accountable.

With tens of thousands of pregnant women admitted into jails and prisons annually, and documented cases of severe mistreatment, this legislation is a critical step toward humane treatment and justice for some of the most vulnerable people in federal custody. The Pregnant Women in Custody Act is not just about better policies; it’s about saving lives and restoring dignity where the system has failed.