Nearly 400 Deployments Spark Deep Conflicts (Image Credits: Unsplash)
Federal health workers in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps have resigned in growing numbers rather than staff medical operations at Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers.[1]
Nearly 400 Deployments Spark Deep Conflicts
Last year marked a sharp increase in immigrant arrests, prompting ICE to expand detention centers rapidly. The U.S. Public Health Service stepped in with almost 400 officers on monthlong assignments to deliver basic medical care nationwide. These professionals, including nurses and doctors, typically respond to disasters and outbreaks back home. Yet many now viewed these duties differently. NPR interviewed 12 current or former officers, and six cited upcoming or recent ICE postings as the main reason for their departures.[1]
Officers described a fundamental tension. Their core charge focused on protecting vulnerable populations. ICE facilities held about 71,000 detainees across 225 sites as of early February, including jails and military bases. Reports highlighted overcrowding, care shortages, and 32 deaths in custody during 2025, the deadliest year in decades.[1]
Personal Stories Fuel Resignations
Rebekah Stewart, a nurse practitioner, captured the frustration after leaving in October. “We have been tasked with protecting and promoting health, and instead, we are being asked to facilitate inhumane operations,” she stated.[1] She had deployed to the Southwest border in 2019 following migrant child deaths but refused a June call-up to an ICE site. Dena Bushman, another nurse practitioner who joined in 2019, quit on January 6. Early 2025 news of masked agents rounding up people at day care centers and Home Depot lots horrified her. “Staffing those facilities is being part of that process,” she explained.[1]
Anonymous accounts added weight. One nurse from an El Paso center described facilities at three times capacity and severe understaffing. She resigned months later, feeling her efforts clashed with deportation priorities. Two others spoke on record; the rest feared job repercussions.
Detention Conditions Expose Care Gaps
Deployed officers encountered systemic hurdles. Batch screenings grouped 20 to 30 detainees for sensitive questions on mental health, tuberculosis, and addiction, breaching confidentiality norms. Medication delays for insulin and anti-epileptics triggered emergencies like seizures. At Bureau of Prisons sites, staff skepticism delayed treatment for kidney stones and fractures until video verification.[1]
Detainees arriving from harsher sites recounted sleeping on floors, sharing toilets with dozens, and food being thrown at them. One clinician called them “angels” but still planned to exit soon. These experiences underscored conflicting goals: health providers sought thorough care, while ICE pushed for swift removals.
- Overcrowding strained resources beyond limits.
- Group medical intakes violated privacy standards.
- Drug access lags led to preventable crises.
- Staff distrust slowed urgent interventions.
- High detainee death toll raised alarms.
Leadership Responds to Morale Slump
The service lost about 340 officers last year, including 50 before pension eligibility. Bioethicist Hilary Mabel noted moral distress often drives such shifts when integrity feels compromised. Admiral Brian Christine, Assistant Secretary for Health, defended the work. “Our duty is clear: say ‘Yes Sir!’, salute smartly, and execute the mission,” he replied.[1]
Former Commander Jonathan White warned of long-term damage. Departures weaken crisis response capacity, especially amid layoffs elsewhere. He stressed the value of ethical questioners in rebuilding public health efforts.
Key Takeaways
- Six of 12 interviewed officers planned or completed resignations over ICE duties.
- Detention sites faced overcrowding, delays, and ethical clashes in care delivery.
- Service attrition risks broader public health readiness amid rising demands.
These resignations reveal a rift between humanitarian ideals and enforcement realities. As facilities expand, the loss of committed clinicians could deepen care shortfalls. What do you think about this tension in public service? Tell us in the comments.
