‘I have a fire inside’: wife confronts DHS secretary over detained double-amputee’s conditions at Stewart
Key Takeaways
- Mildred Danis‑Taylor confronted then‑DHS secretary Kristi Noem at a March hearing about alleged neglect and dangerous conditions at ICE’s Stewart detention center where her husband, a double amputee and green‑card applicant, is held.
- It has been reported that Rodney Taylor’s prosthetics stopped functioning after his detention began in January 2025, and that his health has deteriorated with painful bone spurs and uncontrolled high blood pressure.
- The case highlights broader questions about detention of non‑citizens with past convictions (even those pardoned), medical care in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, and congressional oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
- Families seeking the release of detained loved ones should consider congressional inquiries, bond/parole requests, habeas petitions, and working closely with immigration counsel, because detention often disrupts access to evidence and to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processes.
What happened at the hearing
Mildred Danis‑Taylor traveled to Capitol Hill with two daughters to confront DHS leadership about conditions her husband allegedly faces inside Stewart, a large ICE detention facility in south Georgia. It has been reported that Georgia congresswoman Lucy McBath read from accounts in which detainees were forced to “crawl through that muck and squalor of feces and bodily fluids” to reach showers; McBath and others pressed then‑secretary Kristi Noem for answers about medical care and detention conditions. Rodney Taylor, a 47‑year‑old green‑card applicant and double amputee, has been detained since January 2025, and it has been reported that his prosthetic legs are no longer functioning properly and that his health has worsened while in custody.
Legal and policy context
Taylor was reportedly detained over a decades‑old burglary conviction from his youth; the Guardian’s reporting notes he was pardoned in 2010, and it has been reported that his attorney has shared paperwork seeking relief. Under U.S. immigration law, certain criminal convictions can render a non‑citizen removable, but the immigration consequences of a pardon are complex and depend on jurisdiction, the nature of the conviction, and whether the conviction is considered an “aggravated felony” or otherwise makes someone inadmissible or deportable. ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) operates detention facilities where detained non‑citizens can be held while removal proceedings proceed; USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) adjudicates many applications for residency and relief, but detention can limit access to evidence and counsel. It has been reported that Noem promised to review congressional letters asking for Taylor’s release — and, separately, that she was fired the next day.
What this means for people navigating the system
This case underscores the real human stakes: disability, chronic illness and pending immigration applications complicate detention. For family members and attorneys trying to secure release, options may include emergency congressional inquiries, motions for bond or parole, requests for medical transfer, habeas corpus litigation in federal court, and expedited USCIS review where appropriate. Processing times at USCIS and immigration courts remain lengthy in many cases, and detention can make it harder to meet filing deadlines or present evidence. It has been reported that Danis‑Taylor has become an active advocate — “I have a fire inside,” she said — and her efforts reflect a broader push by families and some lawmakers for greater oversight of ICE medical care and detention practices.
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