American Nurses Association (ANA) President Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN, wrote a letter June 27 to Kevin K. McAleenan, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to share the ANA Membership Assembly’s concerns regarding the health conditions of migrant families and individuals at centers run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The letter reads, in part, "ANA and its members are appalled and dismayed regarding news reports about the unacceptable and unhealthy conditions at centers run by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)."
In addition to requesting that the agency act immediately to ensure that immigrant detainees gain access to basic hygiene needs, appropriate health care, including mental health care services, and adequate sleeping arrangements, ANA called on DHS to appoint an expert task force that includes nurses to review and adopt best practices and guidelines on how to ensure health and safety for detained immigrants, and requested that Congress and all federal agencies impacted by immigration work with immigration courts to grant detained migrants the opportunity for a quick and fair hearing.
Read the letter here.