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U.S. Deports Migrant Women Who Alleged Abuse by Georgia Doctor at Detention Facility

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2 years ago

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  • In September, a gynecologist in Georgia was accused of performing unnecessary and unethical medical procedures on several detainees at an immigration detention facility without their informed consent.
  • Oftentimes, he allegedly endangered or completely eliminated their ability to have children.
  • Now, six of the women who made allegations have been deported and seven others could soon face the same fate, which means some could end up in unstable countries or situations where it becomes hard to maintain contact with them as investigations continue.
  • Two women reportedly faced deportation orders after speaking with or asking to speak with investigators, prompting fears among victims that speaking out will impact their immigration cases.
  • ICE has denied accusations that it is attempting to impede the investigation by carrying out deportations once an individual has exhausted all appeal options.

Accusations Against Dr. Amin

The U.S. is deporting several women who claimed they were subjected to inhumane and unethical medical practices at an immigrant detention center in Georgia, according to the Associated Press.

The facility in question is the Irwin County Detention Center, which made national headlines in September after a whistleblower nurse came forwards with a federal complaint.

One doctor there, Dr. Mahendra Amin, was specifically accused of performing medically unnecessary procedures on several migrant women without their consent or true understanding. Oftentimes those procedures allegedly endangered or completely eliminated a patient’s ability to have children. 

The doctor has denied any wrongdoing, but the Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the claims. The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general is also investigating.

Still, immigrant advocates have urged federal officials to not just look into the doctor, but also the detention center and any role ICE had in sending patients to him.

Deportations Begin

As of Tuesday, ICE has already deported six former patients who had complained about the doctor, the AP reports. At least seven others who made allegations have received word that they could soon be deported as well.

These deportations are reportedly occurring in the last weeks of President Donald Trump’s administration. 

This news is quite important because while people who have been deported might still be able to serve as witnesses in a criminal or civil case, they could end up in unstable countries or situations where it becomes hard to maintain contact with them.

“ICE is destroying the evidence needed for this investigation,” Elora Mukherjee, a Columbia University law professor who is working with several of the women said of the news.

ICE, however, responded to those types of allegations, saying that it had notified the Homeland Security inspector general “about any planned transfers or removals of Irwin detainees who were former patients of Dr. Amin.”

“Any implication that ICE is attempting to impede the investigation by conducting removals of those being interviewed is completely false, ” it added.

The agency also said this week that it would accommodate interviews but detained migrants “remain subject to final order of removal” once all appeals have been exhausted. 

Still, many are worried about how this case is being investigated. One woman who filed a complaint told the AP that she had spoken to government officials twice, most recently on Tuesday.

“I told them that I was abused, tortured, dehumanized,” she said.

Within hours of her first interview last week, that woman and her lawyers were told ICE had lifted a hold on her deportation and she could be sent to Kenya at any time.

Another woman reportedly notified the government Thursday that she wanted to talk to investigators about the doctors.  Then by early Monday, she was driven to an airport to board a deportation flight. Her deportation was only stopped after her lawyers intervened. 

Situations like this make the alleged victims fearful that answering questions from investigators might hurt their immigration cases, and many advocates worry that the government is not taking the right steps to ensure that a fair and thorough investigation is being carried out.

See what others are saying: (Associated Press) (NBC News) (Forbes)

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U.S.

White Supremacist Propaganda Reached Record High in 2022, ADL Finds

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2 weeks ago

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March 9, 2023

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 “We cannot sit idly by as these extremists pollute our communities with their hateful trash,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said.

White supremacist propaganda in the U.S. reached record levels in 2022, according to a report published Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League’s Center of Extremism.

The ADL found over 6,700 cases of white supremacist propaganda in 2022, which marks a 38% jump from the nearly 4,900 cases the group found in 2021. It also represents the highest number of incidents ever recorded by the ADL. 

The propaganda tallied by the anti-hate organization includes the distribution of racist, antisemitic, and homophobic flyers, banners, graffiti, and more. This propaganda has spread substantially since 2018, when the ADL found just over 1,200 incidents. 

“There’s no question that white supremacists and antisemites are trying to terrorize and harass Americans with their propaganda,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. “We cannot sit idly by as these extremists pollute our communities with their hateful trash.” 

The report found that there were at least 50 white supremacist groups behind the spread of propaganda in 2022, but 93% of it came from just three groups. One of those groups was also responsible for 43% of the white supremacist events that took place last year. 

White supremacist events saw a startling uptick of their own, with the ADL documenting at least 167, a 55% jump from 2021. 

Propaganda was found in every U.S. state except for Hawaii, and events were documented in 33 states, most heavily in Massachusetts, California, Ohio, and Florida.

“The sheer volume of white supremacist propaganda distributions we are documenting around the country is alarming and dangerous,” Oren Segal, Vice President of the ADL’s Center on Extremism said in a statement. “Hardly a day goes by without communities being targeted by these coordinated, hateful actions, which are designed to sow anxiety and create fear.”

“We need a whole-of-society approach to combat this activity, including elected officials, community leaders, and people of good faith coming together and condemning this activity forcefully,” Segal continued. 

See what others are saying: (Axios) (The Hill) (The New York Times)

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Adidas Financial Woes Continue, Company on Track for First Annual Loss in Decades

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3 weeks ago

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March 8, 2023

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Adidas has labeled 2023 a “transition year” for the company. 

Yeezy Surplus 

Adidas’ split with musician Kanye West has left the company with financial problems due to surplus Yeezy products, putting the sportswear giant in the position to potentially suffer its first annual loss in over 30 years. 

Adidas dropped West last year after he made a series of antisemitic remarks on social media and other broadcasts. His Yeezy line was a staple for Adidas, and the surplus product is due, in part, to the brand’s own decision to continue production during the split.

According to CEO Bjorn Gulden, Adidas continued production of only the items already in the pipeline to prevent thousands of people from losing their jobs. However, that has led to the unfortunate overabundance of Yeezy sneakers and clothes. 

On Wednesday, Gulden said that selling the shoes and donating the proceeds makes more sense than giving them away due to the Yeezy resale market — which has reportedly shot up 30% since October.

“If we sell it, I promise that the people who have been hurt by this will also get something good out of this,” Gulden said in a statement to the press. 

However, Gulden also said that West is entitled to a portion of the proceeds of the sale of Yeezys per his royalty agreement.

The Numbers 

Adidas announced in February that, following its divergence from West, it is facing potential sales losses totaling around $1.2 billion and profit losses of around $500 million. 

If it decides to not sell any more Yeezy products, Adidas is facing a projected annual loss of over $700 million.

Outside of West, Adidas has taken several heavy profit blows recently. Its operating profit reportedly fell by 66% last year, a total of more than $700 million. It also pulled out of Russia after the country’s invasion of Ukraine last year, which cost Adidas nearly $60 million dollars. Additionally, China’s “Zero Covid” lockdowns last year caused in part a 36% drop in revenue for Adidas compared to years prior.

As a step towards a solution, Gulden announced that the company is slashing its dividends from 3.30 euros to 0.70 euro cents per share pending shareholder approval. 

Adidas has labeled 2023 a “transition year” for the company. 

“Adidas has all the ingredients to be successful. But we need to put our focus back on our core: product, consumers, retail partners, and athletes,” Gulden said. “I am convinced that over time we will make Adidas shine again. But we need some time.”

See what others are saying: (The Washington Post) (The New York Times) (CNN)

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Immigration Could Be A Solution to Nursing Home Labor Shortages

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3 weeks ago

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March 7, 2023

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98% of nursing homes in the United States are experiencing difficulty hiring staff. 

The Labor Crisis 

A recent National Bureau of Economic Research paper has offered up a solution to the nursing home labor shortage: immigration. 

According to a 2022 American Health Care Association survey, six in ten nursing homes are limiting new patients due to staffing issues. The survey also says that 87% of nursing homes have staffing shortages and 98% are experiencing difficulty hiring. 

The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) outlined in their paper that increased immigration could help solve the labor shortage in nursing homes. Immigrants make up 19% of nursing home workers.

With every 10% increase in female immigration, nursing assistant hours go up by 0.7% and registered nursing hours go up by 1.1% And with that same immigration increase, short-term hospitalizations of nursing home residents go down by 0.6%.

The Solution 

Additionally, the State Department issued 145% more EB-3 documents, which are employment-based visas, for healthcare workers in the 2022 fiscal year than in 2019, suggesting that more people are coming to the U.S. to work in health care. 

However, according to Skilled Nursing News, in August of 2022, the approval process from beginning to end for an RN can take between seven to nine months. 

Displeasure about immigration has exploded since Pres. Joe Biden took office in 2021. According to a Gallup study published in February, around 40% of American adults want to see immigration decrease. That is a steep jump from 19% in 2021, and it is the highest the figure has been since 2016.

However, more than half of Democrats still are satisfied with immigration and want to see it increased. But with a divided Congress, the likelihood of any substantial immigration change happening is pretty slim. 

See what others are saying: (Axios) (KHN) (Skilled Nursing News)

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