Rümeysa Öztürk was one of far too many people who have recently suffered at the hands of American authorities. After returning home to Boston from Mexico, Jemmy Jimenez Rosa was detained for ten days. During that time, she was not provided with access to a lawyer nor necessary medications.

When Rosa asked about his wife’s medical care, the agent cited HIPAA laws as a barrier to knowing her health issues. Taken aback, Rosa pointed out that doctors can share medical information with law enforcement when a patient is in custody, which is specifically outlined in HIPAA.

“He said a very disgusting joke after that,” Rosa recalled.

“He said, ‘We’ll notify next of kin if she dies.’ And at that moment, I knew that I was no longer dealing with humans.”

Eventually, after Rosa’s husband and a lawyer filed a successful motion for her release, she was turned loose into a rainy evening with no way to contact her family. No one should be treated this way.