A pregnant Turkish woman revealed the brutal conditions she faced inside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Nevada, where she spent four months with little medical treatment.
Emine Sahin discovered she was pregnant in September 2025, the day she was detained and taken into an ICE facility in Henderson, just outside of Las Vegas.
She was finally released from the detention center in January 2026, and has since revealed the terrors of her time inside during her first and second trimesters.
Despite her pregnancy, the soon-to-be mother said she was treated the same as every other offender.
‘The conditions were the same as they were for normal criminals,’ she told 8News Now. ‘I did not receive any medical assistance. It was almost impossible to see a doctor there, and the food was the same way.’
Emine said that because of the pregnancy, she experienced nausea, certain aches and pains, and also caught a cold.
Sahin first sought asylum in the US in November of 2023 after leaving Turkey to escape violence from family members with her husband, Batuhan.
While the news of the baby was a beautiful surprise for the couple that had recently suffered a miscarriage, it was only the beginning of a grueling 122 days Emine would have to spend locked away.
Emine Sahin discovered she was pregnant in September 2025, the day she was detained and taken into an ICE facility in Henderson, Nevada. She was released in January, and has since revealed what she endured during her detention
Following Emine’s detainment, the couple’s asylum seeking process was denied – forcing them to completely start over their process
‘I received no medical care whatsoever for a week,’ she added. ‘Other than that, since I was pregnant, I wasn’t taken for any check-ups or examinations.’
Her detainment was traumatic and filled with uncertainty as she was never given an update on her baby’s health for months.
The couple said Emine landed in the ICE center after she was placed into custody during a domestic dispute at their home in September 2025.
‘I was arrested by police before we even understood the subject matter. I was brought before the court, the prosecutor said all charges against me were dropped, and that we could go home. But at that moment, I was taken into custody by police,’ she said.
The misdemeanor domestic battery charge was dropped on September 25, 2025, according to court records cited by the outlet.
She sought asylum in the US in November of 2023 after leaving Turkey to escape violence from family members with her husband, Batuhan
In efforts to support Emine during her pregnancy they started a GoFundMe that has nearly reached $10,000. The couple noted that donations will help get his wife consistent medical care, rest, and a safe environment
The expecting mother spent 122 days inside the detention center
She was then brought to the detention center, where she was held in a room described as a cell with bunk beds, a toilet, a sink, and less than 70 square feet.
Emine’s was finally released in late January, after her lawyer filed a Habeas Corpus case, which allowed her to challenge the legality of her detention.
After she left ICE custody, the couple went to the emergency room for a checkup of the baby, which found it healthy.
However, the $1,500 visit charge was just one of the many roadblocks they faced after she was released.
Batuhan said that an immigration court date, for which they hired an attorney, was canceled after his wife was detained.
Later, they would find out that their asylum process was completely denied, forcing them to start over.
‘We had a life. We can’t pay the rent, because of these conditions under arrest, this situation completely ruined our lives,’ said the husband.
Batuhan added that if they were to be deported, it could put their child in danger.
‘There’s actually no option to go back. If we went back, our lives would automatically be in danger, and not just my life, but also the lives of Emine and our future baby would be in danger automatically,’ he said.
The soon-to-be mother is currently six months pregnant and is regularly supervised by ICE and is at times required to sign in with them
The family set up a GoFundMe in which notes it will be used to get his wife consistent medical care, rest, and a safe environment.
In addition, donations will support necessities such as essential baby items, transportation-related costs to avoid losing their vehicle, and a small emergency buffer for urgent and unexpected needs.
The Sahins told 8News Now that the fundraiser has received support but also backlash and even threats.
It is nearly halfway to its $20,000 goal while Emine is about six months pregnant.
‘To be honest, we experienced a lot of negativity here. We faced many difficult situations. But we also met very good people,’ Batuhan said.
‘The fact that people are there and making efforts to support us is very important and very valuable to us.’
The Sahins have been living in hotel rooms and at times are forced to sleep in their car as they struggle to find permanent housing.
Since Emine’s release, she is regularly supervised by ICE and is at times required to sign in with them.
The Daily Mail has reached out to immigration and Customs Enforcement for comment.