Supporting Breastfeeding Parents Detained by ICE: What You Need to Know

Chardá Bell, IBCLC, CBE, CD
Jun 13
6 min read

In the wake of recent protests, Melanin Milk SD Collective stands with immigrant, refugee & asylum seeking families and all breastfeeding parents facing detention.

Whether you’re a loved one, community advocate, or lactation professional, this blog is here to provide guidance for detained breastfeeding parents and ensure their infants continue to receive safe and nurturing feeding care during and after separation.

The demonstrations across San Diego and Los Angeles, sparked by the unlawful detention of our immigrant community members, are a clear reminder of the urgent need to protect the dignity, safety, and humanity of all families, especially those targeted by immigration enforcement. Among the most vulnerable are breastfeeding parents who face sudden, traumatic separation from their babies while in ICE custody.

These fears aren’t hypothetical, they’re real. In April 2025, ICE deported a mother of a 2 year old and a breastfeeding infant, both U.S. citizens, just days after she was detained during a routine check-in in San Bernardino. Despite her active lactation and pending legal relief, she was swiftly removed from the country, leaving her children behind. Stories like hers are far too common. According to the ACLU of Northern California’s Reproductive Justice Detained campaign, pregnant and lactating individuals in ICE custody regularly experience delayed or denied medical care, lack of access to lactation support, and conditions that violate both federal standards and basic human rights. This is not just a legal crisis, it’s a reproductive justice emergency.

I'm sure few people know that since July 2021, ICE has had a formal policy in place. Directive 11032.4: Identification and Monitoring of Pregnant, Postpartum, or Nursing Individuals that states these individuals “should not be detained, arrested or taken into custody for administrative violations… unless release is prohibited by law or exceptional circumstances exist.” This includes people up to one year postpartum and those who are currently breastfeeding.

The directive requires:

Approval by a Field Office Director for any detention.
Weekly custody reviews to assess continued medical or legal justification.
Close monitoring of lactation related needs and medical conditions while in custody.

You can read the full policy here:

• ICE News Release

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-issues-new-policy-pregnant-postpartum-nursing-individuals

• Directive 11032.4 – Full PDF

https://www.ice.gov/doclib/detention/11032.4_IdentificationMonitoringPregnantPostpartumNursingIndividuals.pdf

How Communities and Loved Ones Can Enforce the Policy

This is a legal tool that we can use. If someone you know is pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding and is in ICE custody:

Demand confirmation: Ask ICE or the detention facility to verify whether the person qualifies under Directive 11032.4.
Push for release: Cite the policy directly. Detention should only occur if legally required or under truly exceptional circumstances.

Request documentation: Ask for written records of weekly custody and medical reviews, as the policy mandates.

Engage legal advocates: Attorneys and nonprofits can file motions or emergency stays based on the directive.

Apply public pressure: Contact elected officials, share stories with media, and mobilize local organizations to amplify accountability.

By grounding your advocacy in the specific language of this policy and insisting on its enforcement, you can help prevent unnecessary separation and trauma for lactating parents and their babies.

Helping folks navigate lactation while detained:

Immigration detention centers are not known for respecting bodily autonomy, but breastfeeding people still retain medical and human rights. As an advocate or loved one, you can help assert those rights:

Request medical attention: Ask facility staff for lactation related medical support (for engorgement, mastitis, or to express milk).
Advocate for continued breastfeeding or pumping: This may be possible in short term detention or depending on facility policy.
Support legal documentation: Help the parent name a temporary caregiver for their child and communicate this to legal counsel.
Ask for religious or medical accommodation forms: If applicable, use these as tools to request pump access or health services.

Feeding A Baby While Parent Is Detained

Here are feeding options caregivers can use while separated from the breastfeeding parent:

Stored Breastmilk (Frozen or Refrigerated)

If the parent has stored milk:

Use oldest dated milk first (FIFO: first in, first out).
Thaw overnight in the fridge or under warm water, never microwave.
Use clean bottles and sterilized nipples.

📌 Tip: Keep track of the baby’s intake and reactions in a simple journal to share later with the parent or medical provider.

Donor Human Milk

Contact local milk banks or other community milk sharing networks like Human Milk For Human Babies, a Facebook group. Some hospitals or nonprofits can help access donor milk in emergencies.

Prioritize donor milk for infants under 12 months or those born premature, low birthweight, or medically fragile.

Here are two excellent options in San Diego for accessing donor human milk:

UC Health Milk Bank at San Diego Blood Bank

Accredited by HMBANA and operated by UC San Diego Health, located within the San Diego Blood Bank on Gateway Center Ave, San Diego. They process and distribute pasteurized donor human milk for NICU and outpatient needs

Family orders are available: call (858) 249‑MILK (6455) or email ucmilkbank@health.ucsd.edu

Milk is shipped frozen on dry ice; Medi‑Cal and private insurance may cover medically necessary orders.

Mothers’ Milk Bank California (Sharp) in Chula Vista

An HMBANA‑accredited nonprofit affiliated with Sharp HealthCare, with a drop‑off/pick‑up depot at Sharp Mary Birch in Chula Vista mothersmilk.org

For questions about donor milk or infant distribution, contact Sharp’s lactation offices:

Chula Vista: (619) 502‑5848

Mary Birch: (858) 939‑4140

Why HMBANA Accreditation Matters

All milk undergoes rigorous donor screening (health/lifestyle questionnaire, blood tests, pasteurization, microbial testing) to ensure maximum safety for vulnerable infants.

Only HMBANA accredited banks meet these strict processing and safety standards.

Infant Formula

If breastmilk isn’t available, formula is a safe and appropriate backup when necessary:

Choose ready-to-feed or powdered formula based on baby’s needs.
Prepare it with clean, safe water.
Follow mixing instructions exactly. Do not dilute to “stretch” formula.

First rule of breastfeeding, feed the baby. Second rule is protect the supply. We can always rebuild the breastfeeding connection when the parent returns.

Helping the Detained Parent Manage Lactation

Even without baby nearby, the breastfeeding parent still needs care.

Help them:

Request a private space and supplies to hand express.

Apply warm compresses before expressing to help letdown; cold compresses for discomfort.

Learn and use the hand expression technique:

1. Wash hands.

2. Cup the breast in a “C” shape.

3. Press back toward the chest, then compress and release.

4. Rotate positions to express different areas.

Support medical requests immediately if they experience:

Severe pain
Fever
Swelling
Red streaks

These are possible signs of mastitis which is considered a lactation medical emergency that must be treated promptly.

How to Prepare an Emergency Feeding Plan

You can prepare now, before any crisis, to protect a breastfeeding parent and baby:

What to Include:

Names and contact info for approved caregivers
Infant feeding plan (how often, how much, allergies, bottle type, etc.)
Milk storage & thawing instructions
Local donor milk resources or instructions on how to request it
Formula preferences (brand/type)
Consent forms or notarized guardianship documentation, if possible
Contact info for the parent’s lactation consultant or pediatrician

Consider creating a small emergency bag with:

Bottles, pump parts, formula
Frozen milk (if applicable)
Baby’s health records
Notes of comfort from the parent

Emotional & Legal Support

Connect the parent with an immigration attorney who understands family separation cases.
Request community support, meals, rides, check-ins for the baby’s caregiver.

Offer emotional support. A separated parent may feel guilt, anxiety, or grief. Remind them they are still a good parent. They are still making milk. Their baby still knows their voice and love.

Immigration enforcement threatens the very roots of family and community. But we can be a safety net for each other. Whether you're a tia, a doula, a best friend, or a lactation consultant, your presence can help protect not just a feeding relationship, but a whole family.

The impact of detention is devastating, but with preparation, solidarity, and action, our communities can protect the bond between parent and child even in the face of injustice.

Community Support

Need help supporting a breastfeeding parent in detention? Text us for a free consult: 619-841-1160

Share this post and tag us @melaninmilksd to help our communities