Sens. Chuck Grassley and Richard Blumenthal wrote a letter to ICE, pressing the agency for answers following an NBCNews investigation into the practice of holding immigrants in solitary confinement.
The inquiry marks the first time a Republican has raised concerns about ICE and solitary confinement since the broadcast and publication in May of the investigation, in partnership with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and the Intercept, documenting thousands of instances when ICE detainees were put in solitary confinement. Blumenthal and several other congressional Democrats have already raised concerns publicly.
The probe documented a range of questionable practices, including how dozens of detainees were put in solitary confinement simply because they suffered from physical disabilities and needed a prosthetic leg, a cane or a wheelchair. Detainees with mental illnesses were put in solitary, often for weeks or months. LGBT detainees were also routinely put in isolation solely because of their sexual orientation.
They asked ICE to report on the number of times the agency has recently put detainees into solitary confinement, how it ensures isolation is used appropriately and how it monitors the use of solitary confinement. Grassley previously raised concerns four years ago with then-Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., pressing ICE on how the agency put detainees with mental illnesses and medical concerns in isolation.
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