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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Summary of CRCL Expert Recommendation Memo and ICE's Response Concerning Baker County Detention Center in Macclenny, Florida
On May 1, 2023, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforement (ICE) responded to an Expert Recommendation Memorandum issued in April 2022 by CRCL that followed an onsite investigation at the Baker County Detention Center. ICE concurred with 26 recommendations, partially concurred with 12, and non-concurred with 13.
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Summary of CRCL’s Recommendations and ICE’s Response: Caroline Detention Facility
This is a summary of CRCL's Recommendation Memorandum to ICE following an onsite investigation at the Caroline Detention Facility. ICE concurred with five recommendations, partially concurred with seven, and non-concurred with seven.
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Retention Memo to ICE Concerning Clay County Jail in Brazil, Indiana
The purpose of this memorandum is to notify of the complaints, describe the allegations, inform that CRCL will retain the above-referenced complaints for investigation, and conduct an onsite investigation at Clay County on July 24-27, 2023, and explain how CRCL will work with ICE during our investigation concerning Clay County Jail in Brazil, Indiana.
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Retention Memo to ICE Concerning Boone County Jail in Lexington, Kentucky
The purpose of this memorandum is to notify of the complaints and describe the allegations, inform that CRCL will retain the above-referenced complaints for investigation and conduct an onsite investigation, and explain how CRCL will work with ICE during our investigation concerning Boone County Jail in Lexington, Kentucky.
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Summary of CRCL's Recommendations and USCIS's Response: Disability Modification Requests
On May 4, 2023, USCIS responded to a Recommendation Memorandum issued in December 2022 by CRCL about USCIS’s handling of disability modification requests from the public. USCIS concurred with one of CRCL’s recommendations and non-concurred with two.
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Summary of CRCL Recommendation Memo and CBP's Response: U.S. Citizenship Verification
In December 2016, CRCL received a complaint regarding a 15-year-old girl apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol (USBP). The minor, who did not possess a passport, claimed to USBP that she was a U.S. citizen.
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Summary of CRCL Recommendation Memo and ICE's Response: Investigation of Irwin County Detention Center
In 2018 and 2021, CRCL received a significant number of allegations concerning medical care at Irwin. CRCL scheduled an onsite investigation at Irwin for June 2021; however, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced in May 2021 that ICE would discontinue the use of Irwin. As a result, CRCL canceled its onsite investigation.
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Summary of CRCL Recommendation Memo and ICE's Response: Use of Facial Recognition Databases
In February 2020, CRCL opened a complaint based on a Washington Post article that reported that ICE had conducted facial-recognition searches on millions of driver’s license photos in a Maryland database without receiving approval from either the state or a court.
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Recommendation Memo to ICE Concerning Seneca County Jail
CRCL conducted an investigation into conditions of detention for ICE noncitizens at the Seneca County Jail (Seneca) in Tiffin, Ohio. CRCL conducted an onsite investigation at Seneca on July 11-13, 2022 (the July 2022 onsite) with subject matter experts (SME) in medical care and mental health care participating in-person, and an environmental health and safety SME participating virtually. Due to unforeseen circumstances, CRCL’s conditions of detention expert was not able to participate in the July 2022 onsite. As a result, CRCL conducted a second virtual onsite at Seneca with its conditions of detention SME on September 28-29, 2022 (the September 2022 onsite).
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Recommendations Memo Regarding Cancellation of F-1 Visas of Iranian Nationals
This memo provides recommendations regarding U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Field Operations cancellation of the F-1 nonimmigrant student visas of Iranian nationals.