A California congresswoman has introduced the Pregnant Women in Custody Act, legislation designed to mandate stronger protections for pregnant women held in federal, state, and local correctional facilities, as well as immigration detention centers. The bill would prohibit shackling and solitary confinement for pregnant inmates in most cases, require comprehensive federal data collection on pregnancies in custody, and establish baseline care standards including nutrition, medical screening, and treatment for complications. The measure also directs the National Institute of Corrections to provide training to staff on risks associated with restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant detainees.

The legislation gains urgency from a Bloomberg Law and NBC News investigation documenting severe mistreatment of pregnant women in jails nationwide. That investigation documented 54 cases from 2017 to 2024 involving pregnant women arrested for low-level offenses who alleged medical neglect, resulting in miscarriages, stillbirths, and infant deaths. The reporting underscores a critical gap: the absence of comprehensive national data on pregnancies in custody makes systemic abuse difficult to identify and address. For policymakers concerned with both maternal health outcomes and government accountability, establishing this data infrastructure represents a foundational step toward reform.

The bill currently lacks Republican co-sponsors, a significant hurdle given House Republican control. Kamlager-Dove has reportedly reached out to majority party members seeking support. The Department of Homeland Security has previously denied allegations of mistreatment in immigration detention facilities, signaling potential resistance to the expanded oversight the bill would impose on federal agencies.