An immigrant advocacy organization, Community Initiatives for Visiting
Immigrants in Confinement (CIVIC), has filed an official complaint with the
Office for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The content
of CIVIC’s complaint concerns current conditions in immigration
detention facilities, and the U.S. government’s failure to adequately
investigate the alleged conditions. Advocates claim that there are substantial
numbers of sexual abuse, assault, and harassment in many immigration detention
centers. More specifically, CIVIC obtained public records from the DHS
Office of the Inspector General (OIG) that detail the 1,016 complaints
of sexual abuse made by people in immigration detention between May 2014
and July 2016. On average, this equates to at least one complaint per
day during this time period; nonetheless, OIG investigated only 24 of
those complaints, or 2.4% of the total. There were more complaints against
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) than any other DHS agency. In
addition to these reports of sexual abuse, DHS also received 402 reports
of coerced sexual contact, 196 reports of sexual harassment, and 380 reports
of physical or sexual abuse. Unfortunately, reports of this nature regarding
immigration detention facilities are not anything new or unusual. Other
immigration advocacy and human rights organizations have leveled complaints
in the past at DHS and its predecessor agency. The National Prison Rape
Elimination Commission, Human Rights Watch, the American Civil Liberties
Union, and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund all have
alleged incidents of sexual abuse in immigration detention facilities
in the past. The deportation defense lawyers of
Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C.
have handled countless deportation defense claims on behalf of individuals
who have been detained and charged with removal. We know how devastating
it can be for individuals to be detained and separated from their families;
even worse is the increased potential for sexual abuse while being held
in immigration detention facilities. We care about you and your family,
and we want to help you remain in the country. Call our office today to
set up your legal consultation.
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