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Rep. Al Green (D-TX) held a press conference Thursday demanding that transgender immigrants in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody receive hormones and other specialized medical care.
Green appeared alongside representatives of the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus and the Montrose Center at a press conference addressing what they called the “maltreatment of transgender immigrants.”
During the event, Green read from a letter addressed to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin raising concerns about the treatment of transgender detainees.
“Dear Secretary Mullin, I write to express my deep concern over reports of hazardous conditions for transgender immigrants in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities, resulting from deliberate agency policies,” Green read.
Green said those policies included denying medical care and removing protections for transgender detainees.
“In recent months, the federal government has halted the provision of specialized medical care for transgender detainees in at least 10 detention centers across the nation, which experts have warned can cause physical and mental health complications,” he said.
Green also criticized the Trump administration for ending a Biden-era policy that reserved certain detention units for transgender women. He said transgender women are now being housed with men or placed in solitary confinement.
Daron Perez, the TransWellness program coordinator at the Montrose Center, specifically called for continued access to hormones.
“Transgender immigrants should not have to wonder, ‘Will I receive my hormones? Will my identity be respected? Will I be safe? Will anybody care?’” Perez said. “Being detained should never mean losing your dignity, your safety, or access to necessary medical care.”
Green compared providing such treatment to giving medical care to bank robbers and enemy combatants.
“In this country, if we can provide aid and comfort to the bank robber, to the person who’s engaged in mortal combat with Americans, we surely can provide aid and comfort to persons who have committed no crimes, who are in the care, custody, and control of the government. And who need medical attention,” Green said.
“Medical attention should not be denied any person, especially because of who you happen to be,” he continued. “We cannot allow the exception to this to become persons who are associated with the trans community.”
English (US)