According to a report from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), office of inspector general has revealed that although the immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) is not guilty of the deaths of two detainees in the year 2006, but ICE officials are not up to the mark to their medical commitments towards the detainees.

As per the medical standard chapter of the ICE Detention Operations Manual the ICE officials are required are required to medically evaluate the detainees and take proper care of them. In an investigation conducted by the OIG, they found two cases when the detainees were found defied of proper treatment. In one of the two cases mentioned above the detainee died of a parasitic brain infection and the other died of malignant pancreatic cancer. However, according to the OIG report the two detainees died due to pre-existence of serious medical conditions and not due to the poor medical standards of the ICE officials. The report also states that the ICE’s standards as a whole are same as other detention organizations standards. Also, ICE has been trying to enhance its immigration detention facilities to a higher level and proper steps are been taken for the same.

The report recommended an increased number of internal reviews. It also recommended a strict standard to be implemented and requirement of reporting regularly. ICE has said that the medical standards they provide to the detainees are sufficient.

In the past US immigration detention organizations have been repeatedly criticized for providing insufficient levels of medical care to the detainees. American Civil Liberties Union had filed a class lawsuit against federal immigration officials in June 2007 alleging that the detainees face unnecessary sufferings and deaths due to inadequate medical facilities and health care.