Rodney Taylor, a Liberian-born U.S. resident and father of three, is currently in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Georgia. He suffers from grave harm due to his double amputee condition and extreme conditions of confinement. Detained on January 15 at his Loganville home, Taylor’s situation has drawn attention due to the unique difficulties he encounters as a result of his medical condition and the lack of proper accommodations in the detention center.
Rodney Taylor came to the United States as a toddler, with his mother under a medical visa. He’s lived in the U.S. for almost his whole life and is a barber in faith-based workspaces. His faith makes him more open to work. What has made Taylor even more of a local legend lately is his aggressive push to make cancer awareness a priority in his community. His life changed completely when he was arrested, only ten days after proposing marriage to her.
Taylor, a double amputee who uses battery-powered, microprocessor-controlled prosthetic legs, experiences severe challenges while in detention. His prosthetic legs were waterproof, though this created a significant issue considering the flooding conditions documented in his cell. This state of affairs has dire consequences. Things only got worse once Taylor spent three days in a “restrictive housing unit” at Georgia’s Stewart detention center, where he suffered additional trauma.
His own pending application for U.S. residence—often called a “green card”—makes things more complicated still. He had a long history of prior legal troubles, including being convicted of burglary as a teenager. Georgia state officials later pardoned him in 2010. Taylor has been doing everything possible to make a life in the U.S. His current situation is threatening that future.
The detention center’s failure to provide even basic medical care to Taylor has resulted in his serious condition. He has been fitted with new prosthetics. A late May appointment didn’t properly tune them to his body. He describes it as the worst pain and same response to stimulus ever experienced in his left knee. This pain comes after months of using their new prosthetics without proper fittings.
Issues reported by relatives and other jail inmates underscore the lack of medical treatment offered inside account facility. Amy Zeidan, a representative for advocacy groups focused on detainee conditions, stated that facilities “can’t care for anybody beyond basic medical needs.” Given this reality, one must wonder how ICE is treating people with disabilities while in detention.
Pierre, a close family member of Taylor’s, voiced distress over the inaction from lawmakers and public officials in response to Taylor’s case. “Trying to figure out – who do I call? Who’s going to listen?” he lamented, reflecting the feelings of uncertainty surrounding Taylor’s fate.
Fellow detainees have voiced their support for Taylor, with one stating, “How could y’all do that to him? He’s a good guy…” This sentiment captures the spirit of solidarity among Taylor’s fellow detainees as they watch her fight against the cruelty of the detention system.
Rodney Taylor remains hopeful despite these challenges. He underscored the impact on his mobility, and he spoke pointedly about having as much functionality restored as soon as possible after exiting detention.
“I gotta make sure I can be able to walk when I get out of here,” – Rodney Taylor.
Advocates are still fighting every day to change policies and practices, ensuring detainees with medical needs are treated humanely and taken care of. Taylor’s case represents the systemic failures that continue to infect the nation’s immigration detention facilities. The policy crossroads between immigration law and health care needs raises some important questions. These questions get at the heart of how deeply U.S. policy shows it values vulnerable populations.