Detained immigrants continue to lack full access to COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, survey shows

Following an ongoing pressure from affected individuals and their advocates, the Biden administration last summer began to ramp up efforts to vaccinate detained immigrants against COVID-19. But by early 2022, lawmakers were expressing concern that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was now denying boosters to detained people.

New survey findings from Freedom for Migrants confirm some detained people have continued to experience hardships in protecting themselves against the virus. “About one third of respondents cited one or more issues around vaccine access, including 17% of people who did not receive a booster shot,” results said. A number said they requested a dose, and were outright denied.

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