Woman identified after surgery in US immigration’s care

MONTERREY: Mexico’s Foreign Ministry says it has identified a Mexican woman who underwent gynaecological surgery while detained at a US immigration facility in Georgia.

The Mexican Foreign Ministry said in a statement this week the woman had undergone a ‘‘gynaecological surgical intervention’’. It said the medical case file provided by the US Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) agency did not include documentation showing that she had consented to the procedure.

It did not give details about the procedure, but reports by congresswoman Pramila Jayapal have alleged partial and full sterilisation procedures. She visited the facility and talked to eight detained women who said they had been shackled for the surgical procedures.

The ministry said it had interviewed seven other Mexican women now or recently detained at the Georgia facility who said they had interactions with a doctor accused of conducting improper hysterectomies and other gynaecological procedures. None of those seven said they had undergone hysterectomies, the ministry said.

A complaint by a whistleblower nurse has alleged medical abuse within the Georgia detention centre, including unauthorised hysterectomies.

Reuters interviewed the nurse, Dawn Wooten, but could not independently confirm her claims.

Yesterday, ICE’s press office pointed to a statement issued by the agency’s acting head Tony Pham earlier this month in which he called for further investigation given there were ‘‘serious concerns’’. — Reuters