Greggy “Kuya G” Sorio, a Filipino father of three and lawful permanent resident for nearly twenty years, has been detained at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) in Tacoma, WA since March 1, 2025.
Despite multiple requests for medical evaluation, Kuya G experienced six months of untreated internal bleeding, worsening abdominal pain, jaundice, and bloody stool. ICE medical staff repeatedly failed to diagnose him or refer him for proper care.
When he was finally hospitalized on October 16, he was admitted in serious condition and diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. ICE medical staff refused to provide prescribed antibiotics, resulting in a preventable bone infection that required two surgeries and a partial foot amputation. During hospitalization, he was handcuffed to the bed, kept under 24/7 surveillance, and denied access to legal counsel. A verified hospital report documented that an ICE agent left a loaded firearm unattended in a public bathroom for 6–7 hours.
Upon discharge, ICE attempted to deport him despite an open wound, ongoing infection risk, and the need for specialized monitoring for ulcerative colitis, colon cancer risk, and pulmonary embolism. He continues to be at risk for sepsis and has developed progressive disability, including loss of mobility in one thumb and recurring episodes of severe breathing difficulty resembling cardiac distress.
As members of the medical and public health community, we cannot ignore the ethical, legal, and human rights violations occurring under ICE custody. The conditions Kuya G has faced violate fundamental standards outlined in international law, including the Geneva Conventions, which guarantee; 1) access to adequate medical care; 2) protection from abuse; 3) humane treatment for detainees; 4) and non-discriminatory care equivalent to that of the host population. Every one of these standards has been violated in his case.
Kuya G’s survival depends on access to specialized and continuous care that is accessible only here in the United States. In the Philippines, one of his essential medications cost ₱22,000 per vial (around $370) before service or professional fees. Without housing, community support, or financial means, access to these treatments would be virtually impossible.
Deportation under these conditions would constitute medical abandonment. It would sever him from his care team, leave him without access to necessary treatment, and place him at grave risk of preventable death.
On December 7th, pressure from community members and medical professionals urged Philippine Airlines to recognize that Kuya G was medically unfit to fly and successfully stopped the deportation mid-process despite ICE’s insistence This was a powerful testament of what collective action can accomplish, but the fight is still ongoing. Kuya G remains in detention, still without safe, adequate medical care, and he continues to face the imminent threat of deportation.
As medical professionals, health workers, and advocates, we have an ethical duty and a professional responsibility to speak out and demand the following:
Stop the deportation of Greggy “Kuya G” Sorio.
Release Kuya G from detention so he can heal safely with his family and community.
Ensure immediate medical treatment in a safe, non-carceral healthcare facility.
Hold ICE and the U.S. government for systemic medical neglect and human rights violations against Kuya G and other detained migrants.
Demand that the Philippine government uphold its responsibility to its citizens by taking urgent diplomatic action to stop further medical harm and ensure Kuya G’s survival.
What has happened to Kuya G is a profound violation of medical ethics, public health principles, and basic human dignity. We urge healthcare workers across all professions to stand with us, amplify these demands, and ensure that Kuya G receives the safe, dignified, and life-saving care he urgently needs.
