Mexico investigates claims six women were sterilised without their consent at US migrant detention centre

Dawn Wooten, left, one of the nurses at the Irwin County centre, speaks at a rally in Atlanta

Credit: AP

Mexico said it is investigating allegations that six of its citizens were sterilised without their consent in a US migrant detention centre. 

Campaigners alleged last week that six women were forced to have hysterectomies at the privately-run Irwin County detention centre in Georgia.

Mexico’s foreign minister told reporters on Tuesday that the operations would be "unacceptable" and that his officials were investigating the claims.

"We are already in contact with six (Mexican women) who could potentially have been subjected to this type of procedure," Marcelo Ebrard said.

Mexican consular officials were interviewing the women to gather more information, Mr Ebrard said.

Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico's foreign minister, said his office is investigating the allegations

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"If confirmed, it’s a major issue and measures must be taken."

The allegations came from a whistleblower, a nurse at the centre, where some detainees are held under Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.

The nurse alleged that detained women told her they did not fully understand why they had to get a hysterectomy – an operation involving the removal of all or part of the uterus.

"I’ve had several inmates tell me that they’ve been to see the doctor and they’ve had hysterectomies and they don’t know why they went," the nurse said.

Project South, the Georgia Detention Watch, the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights and South Georgia Immigrant Support Network filed a complaint to the US Government on behalf of detained immigrants and the nurse.

US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal has called for an urgent investigation into allegations that at least 17 women were subjected to unnecessary gynecological procedures that she called "the most abhorrent of human rights violations".