Allegations Raised Over Treatment of ICE Detainee

A man detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has claimed that officials at an Indiana detention facility neglected him after a seizure. The seizure was allegedly caused by missed epilepsy medication. The man, Andranik Grigoryan, stated in court filings that he was left lying in a pool of blood and later pepper-sprayed upon his return from the hospital.

Grigoryan, a New York resident, was held at Miami Correctional Facility in Indiana from December 30 to May 15. He filed lawsuits against Centurion Health of Indiana, the prison’s medical provider, and unnamed Indiana Department of Correction officers. The filings were submitted in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.

Newsweek reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and Centurion Health for comments. An Indiana Department of Correction spokesperson chose not to provide a statement.

ICE Medical Care Under Scrutiny

Scrutiny of ICE detention facilities’ medical care, especially during the Trump administration, has increased. Concerns include treatment delays, missed medications, and inadequate care access.

In the lawsuit against Centurion, it was alleged that consistent staffing shortages interfered with detainees’ medication access. It detailed Grigoryan’s lack of Keppra, an anti-seizure medication. On January 22, medical staff reportedly missed his morning dose, leading to a severe seizure in his cell.

The complaint stated, “Grigoryan hit his head during the seizure and was lying in a pool of blood when correctional staff eventually came to his cell.”

He was treated for a head wound at a local hospital before returning to the facility.

The missed medication was not a lone occurrence, according to Grigoryan. The lawsuit mentioned other times he failed to receive Keppra, including when staff reportedly ran out of the medication.

The second lawsuit alleged correctional officers ordered Grigoryan to prepare for a transfer after his hospital return. While still affected by the seizure, he struggled to stand and questioned the move without resisting staff.

The lawsuit accused officers of opening a “cuffport” and using pepper spray on him. The spray allegedly struck his eyes, causing severe discomfort. Officers then handcuffed and relocated him, limiting his access to wash off the spray, according to the filing.

The lawsuit further stated that Grigoryan was not given a shower post-spray. Instead, he washed in a sink upon transfer to another cell.

Both lawsuits claimed violations of Grigoryan’s rights under the 14th Amendment. Centurion’s staffing practices allegedly denied medical care, and the lawsuit against officers claimed the force used was unprovoked and excessive.

The ACLU of Indiana, Grigoryan’s representative, emphasized his right to proper medical care and freedom from undue force as a civil immigration detainee.

“What happened to Mr. Grigoryan was cruel and unconstitutional,” said Ken Falk, ACLU of Indiana’s legal director. He highlighted the negligence in providing medication Grigoryan needed to prevent seizures. The subsequent pepper spray incident was labeled indefensible.

Detainee Deaths at Miami Correctional Facility

The lawsuits highlight concerns about ICE detainee medical care at Miami Correctional Facility. This year, two detainees died, and there are allegations of treatment delays or inadequacies.

Cambodian national Lorth Sim, 59, died on February 16, weeks after arriving at the prison. A former Centurion nurse claimed Sim never got his prescribed diabetes medication, metformin. An independent autopsy suggested significant glucose levels in his blood.

Six weeks later, Vietnamese national Tuan Van Bui, 55, died on April 1 while in ICE custody at the facility.

Readers interested in this story can contact Newsweek editors Matthew Robinson and Shakeema Edwards.