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  3. CRCL Recommendation and Investigation Memos Collection

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.

  • Retention Memo to ICE for CRCL Investigation on ICE's Oversight Concerning the Use of Segregation

    CRCL assessed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's segregation oversight program and provide policy recommendations, if warranted, to help the Department ensure that its segregation oversight is complete, in accordance with requirements, and fulfilling the stated goal that, placement in segregation should occur only when necessary and in compliance with applicable detention standards. In particular, placement in administrative segregation due to a special vulnerability should be used only as a last resort and when no other viable housing options exist."

  • Retention Memo to CBP for CRCL Investigation Concerning Age Determination and Birth Certificate Verification Procedures

    From 2015-2020, CRCL received more than 100 allegations that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) violated the civil rights and civil liberties of unaccompanied minors when determining their ages or verifying the authenticity of their birth certificates. These allegations arose from reported incidents at both U.S. Border Patrol stations and ports of entry. These included similar allegations, such as CBP discarding and destroying birth certificates, pressuring and coercing unaccompanied minors into incorrectly claiming they are adults, and falsifying records of their ages. From these numerous allegations, CRCL chose a sample of 18 that represented the various types of allegations received by CRCL and opened them as complaint investigations.

  • CRCL Recommendation Memo to CBP: Verification of United States Citizenship

    This memorandum provides recommendations to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding a complaint alleging that CBP violated the civil rights and civil liberties of a U.S. citizen minor while detained at the Rio Grande City U.S. Border Patrol station.

  • Retention Memo to CBP for CRCL Investigation Concerning Detention and Care of Pregnant Individuals

    CRCL opened complaints alleging that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) violated the civil rights and civil liberties of pregnant individuals held in their custody. Allegedly, the standards governing the detention of pregnant individuals and the provision of their healthcare were insufficient and inconsistently applied, and where standards did exist, they were routinely violated. 

  • Retention Memo to ICE for CRCL Investigation Concerning Detention and Care of Pregnant Individuals

    CRCL opened complaints alleging that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement violated the civil rights and civil liberties of pregnant individuals held in their custody. Allegedly, the standards governing the detention of pregnant individuals and the provision of their healthcare were insufficient and inconsistently applied, and where standards did exist, they were routinely violated.

  • Expert Recommendations Memo for Onsite Investigation at Worcester County Jail in Snow Hill, Maryland

    CRCL conducted an onsite investigation into conditions of detention for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees at the Worcester County Jail in Snow Hill, Maryland. The onsite occurred on November 13-15, 2019.

  • Retention Memo to CBP for CRCL Investigation Concerning Rio Grande Valley Sector

    In July 2014 and July 2018, CRCL conducted onsite investigations in the Rio Grande Valley Sector. Soon after the 2014 investigation, CRCL provided U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with informal preliminary findings and recommendations, and, in September 2017, CRCL submitted to CBP a formal report and recommendations memorandum. Following the 2018 investigation, during which CRCL enlisted the assistance of an expert in conditions of detention, CRCL provided CBP with an expert report and recommendations.

  • Expert Recommendations Memo for Onsite Investigation at Cibola County Correctional Facility in Milan, New Mexico

    CRCL conducted an investigation into conditions of detention for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees at the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan, New Mexico. The onsite investigation occurred on August 13-15, 2019 in response to allegations received concerning civil rights and civil liberties violations of medical and mental health care, conditions of detention, and environmental health and safety at the facility. Additionally, CRCL reviewed violations that impacted detainees housed in the facility's dedicated transgender housing unit.

  • Retention Memo for Onsite Investigation at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado

    CRCL conducted an onsite investigation related to complaints alleging that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) violated the civil rights or civil liberties of individuals held in custody at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado. CRCL found significant concerns at the facility, and, following the onsite, CRCL issued 37 recommendations in November 2018 in the areas of medical and mental health care, suicide prevention and intervention, and conditions of detention.

  • Retention Memo for Onsite Investigation at Immigration Centers of America in Farmville, Virginia

    CRCL received allegations that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) violated the civil rights and civil liberties of detainees at the Immigration Centers of America in Farmville, Virginia. The allegations raised issues regarding conditions of detention, medical and mental health care, suicide prevention and intervention, sexual abuse and assault prevention and intervention, and environmental health and safety.