Abuses

Texas’ Proposed ‘Border Protection Unit’ Doubles Down on Failed Deterrence Policies
With all eyes on the U.S.-Mexico border ahead of the end of Title 42 on May 11, Texas lawmakers are pushing to increase the state’s role in enforcing federal immigration laws—despite Supreme Court precedent making clear that immigration enforcement is the federal government’s responsibility. A bill currently before the Texas… Read More

The Border Patrol’s Inhumanity Has Reached New Heights
A family with a baby, waiting outside in the cold overnight. A pregnant woman, enduring the elements for multiple days. An Afghan who worked for the U.S. Army as a translator, hoping for food and water. Asylum seekers who traveled from as far as Africa and Asia, looking for protection. Read More

A Closer Look at Deaths in ICE Detention Facilities
On April 6, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the death of 61 year-old Salvador Vargas at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, GA which occurred on April 4. Deaths in ICE custody are far too common, and particularly devastating in detention centers with a… Read More

Biden Wants to End Exploitation of Migrant Children, But His New Asylum Policy Could Make It Worse
The New York Times has published a horrifying investigation into the exploitation of children who migrated to the United States as unaccompanied minors. The investigation by Hannah Dreier finds these children pressed into labor in every state in the U.S., in violation of labor law and often in horrifying conditions. Read More

ICE Fails to Justify Solitary Confinement Placements and Identify Vulnerable Populations
Solitary confinement is widely criticized as a cruel and unnecessary practice. It’s largely unsupported by the public as a disciplinary measure and badly in need of reform. On October 26, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on solitary confinement practices used by U.S. Immigration and Customs… Read More

New Report Shows Disproportionate Abuse of Black Immigrants in Detention
Black immigrants in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) disproportionately face abuse while in detention, a report released last week finds. Published by several organizations including the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) and Freedom for Immigrants (FFI), the report argues that this discriminatory treatment of… Read More

Legal Organizations Sue ICE for Illegally Preventing Attorneys from Communicating with Detained Immigrants in Four States
Several legal services organizations filed a lawsuit today against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for unlawfully preventing attorneys from communicating with immigrants detained in four detention facilities in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Arizona. Read More

Unpacking the Migrant Shooting in Texas
Late last week, detention center warden Michael Sheppard and his twin brother Mark Sheppard were arrested after allegedly shooting into a group of 13 migrants, killing one and seriously injuring another. This incident is yet another example of a tragic outcome for migrants at the border. It was followed the… Read More

Victory as Groups Settle Lawsuit on Unlawful Detention of Unaccompanied Youth
A federal court approved a settlement agreement in a lawsuit challenging the unlawful detention of unaccompanied children who turn 18 in U.S. government custody and are transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities. Read More

Sikh Asylum Seekers in Arizona Face Religious Discrimination by the Border Patrol
Border Patrol agents in Arizona have been confiscating and not returning the turbans worn by Sikh asylum seekers as part of their religion. Immigrant advocates and members of Congress have pointed out that this practice is discriminatory and violates federal law, as well as the policies of the Border Patrol’s… Read More
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