Maura Healey Joins Other State AGs Seeking Answers On Immigrant Medical Care Cases
BOSTON (CBS/AP) — Twenty state attorneys general, including Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, are seeking answers from federal immigration officials about their decision to stop considering requests from immigrants seeking to remain the country for medical treatment and other hardships.
The letter sent Wednesday to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement asks, among other questions, how immigrants with severe medical conditions can request deportation deferrals going forward.
"The Trump administration is threatening to deport seriously ill immigrant families who have come to the United States for life-saving medical treatment," Healey tweeted. "Children's lives literally depend on medical deferred action."
The Trump Administration is threatening to deport seriously ill immigrant families who have come to the United States for life-saving medical treatment. Children's lives literally depend on medical deferred action.
— Maura Healey (@MassAGO) September 4, 2019
Today, we're demanding answers from ICE and USCIS. pic.twitter.com/qCI3nU0X1b
The two federal agencies didn't respond to emails seeking comment. USCIS said this week that it'll continue processing requests for individuals who had a request pending as of Aug. 7.
The letter is also signed by attorneys general in New York, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)