Condemning Unwanted, Unnecessary Medical Procedures on Individuals Without Their Full, Informed Consent

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Jayapal) for yielding me the time.

This weekend, several of my colleagues and I visited the Irwin County ICE Detention Center, and what we saw and heard was outrageous and heartbreaking.

We heard stories directly from women who were subjected to unnecessary and unwanted medical procedures without their consent. And yet yesterday, some of our friends across the aisle suggested that some of this may be made up, that this is not real.

Well, here I have some statements I received directly from the detainees this past weekend, and I am going to read from these, written in their own hands, for the Record. They are in Spanish, but they will be translated into English.

This letter was signed by 24 detainees. The women said:

(English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as follows:)

They do not understand what is happening to their body, nor what they did to their body.

``No entienden que esta pasando con su cuerpo, ni que hicieron con su cuerpo''.

Mr. Speaker, imagine if you were put under in surgery and were not told what was being done to your body, and you went through the surgery. This is what is happening to some of these women.

They went on to say:

(English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as follows:)

``They `told' them they were going to perform a study and they deceived them. Because a surgery room should not be a school.''

``Le vamos a hacer un estudio les `dijeron' y las habeis enganado. Porque una sala de cirugias no debe ser una escuela''.

Now, that is alarming if it is true. They were performing a study, and they deceived them. Because the surgery room should not be a school.

Mr. Speaker, imagine if you were told they were doing a study on your body and not being told what for or what any side effects may be. Nothing, nada, is what these women were told.

They also said:

(English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as follows:)

``Why are we being punished? You send us to a `crazy' person that mutilates bodies. And they deport us so that we don't say anything.''

``rPor que nos castigan mas? Nos mandan con un `loco', despiadado que mutila cuerpos. Y nos deportan para que nadie diga nada. . .'', imagine if you were told they were doing a study on your body and not being told what for or what any side effects may be. Nothing, nada, is what these women were told.

Well, Mr. Speaker, again, imagine having your body mutilated and then being deported to have you silenced. This is what is happening to some of these women.

When I asked three of the detainees I spoke to if they ever got an explanation of any of this in their own language, if they had the procedure and their options explained to them, and if they understood the chilling effect of these surgeries, all three of them laughed almost in unison at me, and they responded:

(English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as follows:)

``Of course not.''

``Claro que no.''

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Mr. Speaker, many women have been violated in the most horrific way imaginable. One relayed having a doctor, without explanation, putting his hands in her vagina without gloves. That is an assault in my book, and we need to recognize it as such.

Many remain confused about what was done to their bodies. Some had life-altering surgeries performed on them without consenting or truly understanding the long-term repercussions on their reproductive health.

These actions recall a time in our history when Black and Brown women were subjected to forced sterilizations and medical experiments.

This cannot be allowed to happen in America today. We can never let it happen ever again.

This resolution, Mr. Speaker, in my mind, is just a first step in getting justice for these women.

We need to shut down the Irwin ICE Detention Center pending all investigations. The detainees should be released to their families or sponsors so they can get a complete medical review.

We must get to the bottom of this and make sure that it is stopped. And the FBI must investigate LaSalle Corrections and its contractors, especially the medical staff and the doctor, for any conflict of interest, any self-dealing, and any possible fraudulent billing.

Mr. Speaker, this is the most horrific example of human rights violations I have ever seen, and sadly, it is happening here in our very own country, and it must be stopped.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source