Testimony of Dr. Josephine Urbina on the Harms of Immigration Detention and Enforcement on Pregnant Immigrants
CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY
Dr. Josephine Urbina
Democratic Women’s Caucus
May 19, 2026
California-based ob/gyn and Physicians for Reproductive Health Fellow Dr. Josephine Urbina testified before the Democratic Women’s Caucus about the public health impacts of immigration enforcement and detention on pregnant and postpartum immigrants.
Dr. Urbina described how fear of ICE presence, detention, and family separation can delay or disrupt prenatal, postpartum, miscarriage, contraceptive, and abortion care. She also addressed the effects of detention on patient privacy, timely referrals, and medical decision-making, and emphasized the importance of access to health care regardless of immigration status.
Hearing: The Assault of Women By Trump’s ICE & CBP
FROM THE TESTIMONY
Dr. Josephine Urbina
“I am here today because what is happening to pregnant and postpartum immigrants in this country is cruel, dangerous, and fundamentally inhumane.
“As physicians, we are witnessing the devastating consequences of immigration policies rooted in punishment and fear. We are watching pregnant people delay lifesaving care because they are terrified of ICE presence in hospitals. We are watching postpartum patients disappear from medical care because they fear detention and family separation. We are watching immigrant families forced to navigate pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting under constant threat.
“Detention is fundamentally incompatible with evidence-based pregnancy care, maternal health and the principles of reproductive justice, which are rooted in bodily autonomy, family integrity, and the right to parent safely and with dignity.
“We must also recognize that detention does not make pregnancy disappear. It does not erase the need for prenatal care, miscarriage management, postpartum support, contraception, or abortion care. Instead, detention places these essential health needs behind closed doors, where delays in care, barriers to timely referrals, lack of privacy, and interference with patient-centered medical decision-making become routine.
“No one should lose the ability to make decisions about their pregnancy because they are in immigration custody.
“Congress has the responsibility to ensure that healthcare settings remain places of care rather than fear, and that pregnancy and parenting are not made more dangerous by detention, surveillance, or family separation.
“Every person, regardless of immigration status, deserves the ability to seek medical care with dignity, safety and humanity.”