Illegal transgender immigrants have "a right to hormone therapy," an official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said Friday during a discussion on immigration detention facilities, reported CNSNews.
"With respect to treatment while in detention -- the medical care standard -- the standards guarantees a right to hormone therapy for individuals who need it for treatment, and even in facilities that are not covered by that standard," Kevin Landy, assistant director of the ICE Office of Detention Policy and Planning, said during the discussion hosted by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
"Our ICE House Service Corps is very vigilant on that issue to ensuring that individuals receive necessary hormone therapy."
Being that the Department of Homeland Security is, according to Commission Chairman Martin Castro, the "largest agency that has custody of transgender individuals," the agency has operations manuals for how to deal with transgender illegal immigrants who were already receiving hormone therapy before they were captured.
CNSNews previously reported on guidelines found in the 2011 ICE operations manual for its detention facilities.
"Transgender detainees who were already receiving hormone therapy when taken into ICE custody shall have continued access," the report said.
"All transgender detainees shall have access to mental health care, and other transgender-related health care and medication based on medical need. Treatment shall follow accepted guidelines regarding medically necessary transition-related care."
During his testimony, Landy also spoke about the "special housing unit in the Los Angeles area dedicated to the gay, bisexual and transgender detainees."
"Individuals who prefer a transfer even across the country to that facility for their safety rather than being in a general population housing unit are afforded that opportunity, and we have transferred many people long distances at their choice to that unit," he said, according to CNSNews.
"And we have an ongoing working group in this area to consider additional reforms on these issues, including adopting the most progressive policies. There are a couple of jails in the entire country that have essentially transgender committees."
