Simpson Thacher and NYLPI Challenge Inadequate Medical Care of New Yorkers With Mental Illness in Immigration Detention
On January 31, the Firm, along with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (“NYLPI”), filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. government after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) discharged a man with serious mental illness from immigration detention without planning for the continuity of his mental healthcare. The lawsuit, in which Simpson Thacher is serving pro bono, argues that ICE’s failure to provide a discharge plan endangered the plaintiff’s life and violated applicable law. A discharge plan, including a supply of interim medication, medical records, and referrals to resources, is designed to prevent sudden interruptions in mental healthcare, and is widely accepted in the medical community as an integral part of care in institutional settings.
The Simpson Thacher team includes Tom Rice, Daniel Stujenske and Esinam Agbemenu.