CRCL Recommendation and Investigation Memos Collection
The DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties reviews and investigates civil rights and civil liberties complaints and alleged abuses filed by the public regarding DHS policies and activities. The investigations involve a range of alleged abuses, including violation of rights while in immigration detention. CRCL issues recommendations to the relevant DHS Component aimed at addressing any civil rights or civil liberties concerns identified as part of its investigation. Redacted memos and other documents related to these investigations are included in this library.
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CRCL Retention Memo to ICE Concerning South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas
CRCL received 19 allegations that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had violated the civil rights and civil liberties of noncitizens at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas.
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CRCL Recommendation Memo to CBP: Interacting with Passengers with Disabilities at the Miami International Airport
This memorandum details CRCL’s recommendations to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to better enable CBP to appropriately interact with passengers with disabilities at the Miami International Airport. Specifically, this memorandum provides recommendations to CBP stemming from an allegation of inappropriate questioning of a U.S. citizen traveler by a CBP Officer on June 13, 2021.
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Summary of CRCL’s Recommendations and ICE’s Response Calhoun County Correctional Center
On July 19, 2021, ICE responded to an Expert Recommendation Memorandum issued in December 2019 by CRCL that followed an onsite investigation at the Calhoun County Correctional Center (Calhoun).
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Summary of CRCL’s Recommendations and ICE’s Response El Paso Service Processing Center
On May 22, 2023, ICE responded to an Expert Recommendation Memorandum issued following a targeted onsite investigation at El Paso Service Processing Center (SPC) by CRCL in September 2022. ICE concurred with three recommendations, partially concurred with eight, and non-concurred with two.
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Summary of CRCL’s Recommendations and ICE’s Response Imperial Regional Detention Facility
On May 12, 2023, ICE responded to an Expert Recommendation Memorandum issued following an investigation at the Imperial Regional Detention Center (IRDF) by CRCL in September 2022. ICE concurred with ten recommendations, partially concurred with one, and non-concurred with 27.
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Retention Memo Concerning FEMA’s Outreach and Recovery Assistance to Tribes and Tribal Communities in Alaska
CRCL memo to FEMA concerning FEMA’s provision of language assistance, outreach, and recovery assistance to tribes and tribal communities in Alaska in relation to potential civil rights concerns.
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Retention Memo to ICE Concerning Segregation of Individuals with a Mental Health Disability and/or Serious Mental Illness
Over the past four years, CRCL has opened more than 60 complaints related to the segregation of individuals in ICE custody with an alleged mental health disability (MHD) or Serious Mental Illness (SMI). These allegations have arisen at different, geographically diverse, ICE detention facilities. These facilities operate under differing government agreements, a range of ICE detention standards, and further vary according to the specific provider(s) of mental health services.
To address the various issues implicated in these allegations, CRCL identified a representative sample of seven complaints to capture the types of allegations CRCL received from Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 – FY2023.
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Summary of CRCL's Recommendations and CBP's Response: Mass Migration Event in Del Rio, Texas
On April 11, 2023, CBP responded to a Recommendation Memorandum issued in December 2022 by CRCL about CBP’s response to a mass migration event involving primarily Haitian migrants in Del Rio, Texas.
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Retention Memo to ICE Concerning Florence Correctional Center
CRCL has received allegations that ICE has violated the civil rights and civil liberties of noncitizens at the Florence Correctional Center (FCC) in Florence, Arizona.
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Summary of CRCL Recommendation Memorandum and CBP’s Response: Cancellation of F-1 Visas of Iranian Nationals
This is a summary of CRCL's Recommendation Memorandum to CBP expressing concerns about CBP’s cancellation of certain F-1 Visas of Iranian Nationals. CBP concurred with one of CRCL’s recommendations and partially concurred with two.