Lawsuit Charged Lack Of Medical And Mental Health Care Led To Death and Unnecessary Suffering

January 17, 2011 (San Diego)--Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have agreed to provide immigration detainees with constitutionally adequate levels of medical and mental health care as part of an agreement last month to settle an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit.  The suit charged that deficient care at the San Diego Correctional Facility caused unnecessary suffering and death.

As part of the settlement, ICE has also agreed to change its policy on medical care that had led to the denial of what ICE deemed to be "non-emergency" care, including heart surgeries and cancer biopsies.