Administrative Complaint Documents Violations In Texas And Other Border States
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dotty Griffith; (713) 942-8416 x 103 or (832) 291-4776; [email protected]
BROWNSVILLE – American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Southern Border Affiliates, including the ACLU of Texas, on Thursday called for a federal investigation into allegations that Customs and Border Protection Agents (CBP) use excessive force and deny due process at ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The administrative complaint, filed with the Department of Homeland Security, cites 11 travelers’ testimonies about CBP agent violations at border crossings. Most of the individuals alleging civil and human rights abuses are U.S. citizens, or are residing in the U.S. legally.
Four ACLU affiliates in border states – Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California (San Diego & Imperial Counties) – and national ACLU Immigrants’ Rights and Human Rights projects signed the letter.
“There is simply no justification for the kind of needless abuse CBP officers inflict on many travelers,” said Sean Riordan, Staff Attorney for the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties in California.
The ACLU administrative letter includes evidence of excessive force; unwarranted, invasive and humiliating personal searches; unjustified and repeated detentions based on misidentification; and use of coercion to force individuals to surrender their legal rights, citizenship documents, and property.
“Far too many travelers are told by CBP officers that they ‘have no rights.’ But even the government must obey the law; that is, the CBP must adhere to basic constitutional principals even when it is policing the border,” said Terri Burke, Executive Director of the ACLU of Texas.
Many of the testimonies included CPB agents physically attacking women and men, some of whom were handcuffed at the time. Testimonies include unnecessary and invasive searches, which left some affected individuals feeling as though they had been sexually assaulted.
“It is unacceptable that CBP has not established sufficient oversight and accountability mechanisms to prevent officers from physically assaulting, detaining, and psychologically abusing travelers,” added Krystal Gomez, Advocacy and Policy Counsel in the ACLU of Texas Brownsville office.
For a copy of the complaint
