Democrats say Rümeysa Öztürk’s inhaler has been withheld and she has had repeated asthma attacks.

In the 10 days since Tufts University PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, her lawyers say their client has had three asthma attacks. During that time, according to three Democratic legislators and Öztürk’s lawyers, ICE has not provided the student her inhaler or other medication as required by law. (ICE did not return a request for comment.)

Öztürk, who studies child psychology, was moved by ICE agents from Massachusetts to Vermont and then to Louisiana, her attorneys report. For nearly 24 hours, her legal team was unable to contact or locate her. En route to Louisiana, she suffered her first of three asthma attacks. Hearings in Öztürk’s case began yesterday, with her lawyers describing the way she was transported across several state lines as “venue shopping” by the government and “an act of either furtiveness or bad faith.” They also revealed that in the days since being moved to a detention center in Louisiana, Öztürk has suffered two more asthma attacks.

In an amended lawsuit filed Wednesday, Öztürk’s lawyers said that due to her not having access to her medications, “each day Ms. Öztürk remains in detention puts her life at risk.” Due to crowding in ICE detention facilities, Öztürk is arguably also at increased risk of catching Covid-19, which could exacerbate her existing respiratory problems.

  • Komodo Rodeo@lemmy.world
    20·
    13 hours ago

    ICE has not provided the student her inhaler or other medication as required by law.

    Not the least bit surprising given what I’ve heard about the operation of these detention centers. They’re purportedly setup to operate in a manner similar to those run by metropolitan Police forces during “civil disturbances” (widespread demonstration and/or rioting), which is to say that officers and medical personnel are specifically instructed to interpret physical/mental distress of any type as a means employed by those detained to “weasel out” of detention.

    All but the most obvious, acute and life-threatening injuries are virtually completely ignored and scoffed off for this reason. psychiatric medication seen as optional, as are those for heart conditions and diabetes if at all possible. It’s not that cops don’t know any better, it’s just that they don’t care until a person’s condition deteriorates to a level which might kill them, ergo blow back and make them accountable for fatalities on their watch.