Senator Murray has long fought against the mistreatment of pregnant women in detention, and leads legislation—the Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act—that would provide permanent safeguards for pregnant and postpartum women in ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody.
Support and advocate for the Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act, which would provide permanent safeguards for pregnant and postpartum women in ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody.
Occurrences
The Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act will protect the health and safety of pregnant women in immigration detention by reinstituting their presumption of release, prohibiting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from shackling pregnant women in its custody, and setting new standards of care and transparency for the treatment of pregnant women and youth.
Evidence
On March 18, 2026, Senator Patty Murray criticized the Department of Homeland Security's inadequate response to an oversight letter regarding the detention and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in ICE custody. The response revealed that, as of February 16, 2026, 121 such women were detained, and 363 had been deported since January 1, 2025.
On September 18, 2025, Senator Murray, along with Senator Blumenthal and 27 other colleagues, sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem expressing concerns about the detention and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in ICE custody. They urged ICE to cease detaining these individuals absent exceptional circumstances and requested detailed information on their treatment.
In March 2025, Senator Murray reintroduced the Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act, aiming to protect the health and safety of pregnant women in immigration detention by reinstating their presumption of release, prohibiting DHS from shackling pregnant women, and setting new standards of care and transparency.
On March 5, 2019, Senator Murray reintroduced the Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act, following reports of mistreatment of pregnant women in ICE custody, including a case where a woman's pregnancy ended in a stillbirth after premature labor.
Sen. Patty Murray introduced S.916 on March 10, 2025. Congress.gov lists Murray as sponsor and says the bill would safeguard humane treatment of pregnant and postpartum women by ensuring a presumption of release and prohibiting shackling and other inhumane treatment in DHS custody.
Murray said she led 22 senators in reintroducing the Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act and described it as providing permanent safeguards for pregnant and postpartum women in ICE and CBP custody by establishing a presumption of release, prohibiting shackling, and setting standards of care and transparency.
Murray criticized DHS for an inadequate response to an oversight letter she led about pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in ICE custody and said the agency should stop detaining pregnant women. The statement also notes hundreds of such women were detained or deported in 2025-2026.
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] (Introduced 03/10/2025). Latest Action: Senate - 03/10/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Murray said she has long fought against the mistreatment of pregnant women in detention and leads legislation—the Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act—that would provide permanent safeguards for pregnant and postpartum women in ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody. The post also says she continued pressing DHS after its inadequate response to her oversight letter.
Assessments
Senator Murray sponsored and repeatedly reintroduced the Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act (S.916, introduced 03/10/2025) and led advocacy and oversight (letters to DHS, press statements). However, the bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee and did not become law, and no permanent safeguards for pregnant/postpartum people in ICE/CBP custody are shown as implemented; DHS responses were criticized as inadequate and detention/deportation continued into 2025–2026. Because she made a clear legislative effort but the promised statutory safeguards were not enacted, the claim is not delivered.
Murray materially supported and advanced the promised policy by sponsoring/reintroducing the Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act in the 119th Congress and continuing DHS oversight in 2025-2026. However, the evidence does not show that the bill was enacted or that permanent safeguards for pregnant and postpartum women in ICE and CBP custody were implemented. Because she made a serious legislative and oversight effort but the promised outcome remains undelivered, this should be scored as never with an effort badge.
Senator Patty Murray repeatedly reintroduced the Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act and took meaningful legislative and oversight actions, including sending letters to DHS. However, the Act has not become law and the promised permanent safeguards for pregnant and postpartum women in ICE and CBP custody have not been delivered. Despite sustained effort via legislation, advocacy, and oversight, the substantive outcome was not achieved.