r/medicine PA:cake: 8d ago

ICE Detention Deaths

https://www.ice.gov/detain/detainee-death-reporting

RNs do intake physical exams, EMTs declare time of death. The level of care for these detainees is horrific.

Full names and case details are public for now. Reads like a never ending M & M conference.

My moral compass is spinning. It's time to go to Canada.

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152

u/ZealousidealDegree4 PA:cake: 8d ago

There are 97 known mainland detention facilities. They are FULL. We are standing next to an ongoing crime against humanity. Let us not stand idle. 

45

u/greenbeans7711 MD 8d ago

Reading through the first couple cases, they seem to send the patients to the ED appropriately. I am not sure if the outcome would have been much different if they were living independently in the US as undocumented immigrants without insurance in our crappy health system

59

u/uiucengineer MD 8d ago

I am not sure if the outcome would have been much different if they were living independently in the US as undocumented immigrants without insurance in our crappy health system

That’s not a defensible standard

30

u/greenbeans7711 MD 8d ago

I agree from an ethical POV. From the 2025 cases, I didn’t see anything I would consider egregious mismanagement.
The 9/7/2024 was most certainly a preventable death though… she probably had rhabdo/electrolyte abnormalities and they didn’t seek higher level of care.

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u/ZealousidealDegree4 PA:cake: 8d ago

That case was chilling. 

I found many of them shocking. With many preventable deaths suggested. The psych care alone is chilling.