NGO denounces “abuses” against migrants by Border Patrol agents

Agents of the Border Patrol have committed allegedabuses” against migrants on the border with MexicoTwo NGOs denounced this Wednesday in a report, in which they ensured that the perpetrators are almost never held accountable.

The Washington Office on Latin American Affairs (WOLA) and the Kino Border Initiative (KBI) have documented “abusive behaviors” and ensure that the Office of Customs and Border Protection (CBP)”has a persistent problem of human rights abuses”.

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The report “reveals troubling behavior patterns that are rarely accounted for“what are they going”from the misuse of force to the endangerment of vulnerable people, through racial profiling, confiscation of valuables and documents or politicized insubordination”.

Based on complaints filed by victims or by non-state organizations KBI has recorded 78 formal complaints between 2020 and 2022 in Arizona (south).

95% of themdid not end in any kind of accountability measure”, that is to say that there was no adequate investigation, nor were disciplinary actions taken and “only 5%” resulted in recommendations or actions for the agent.

And it is that the disciplinary apparatus of the Homeland Security Department (DHS) and CBP”rarely issues meaningful punishments for abusive behavior”, states the report of more than 80 pages.

WOLA and KBI”are aware of 13 cases of deaths in which there is reason to believe” that the agents “they may have used deadly force in circumstances where it is not clear whether they faced an imminent threat” O well “they were unable to prevent the death of an individual in custody”.

But most of the complaints are about “suffering”, “bodily harm” and “mistreatment”. Often these are actseveryday“of cruelty”pointing to widespread toxicity”.

For example, in April 2021 several agents called “terrorists”, “rats” and “criminals” to a Salvadoran family, including a mother with two small children, and they were told that they did not speak Spanish when they wanted to request asylum, the text mentions.

Many of the alleged abuses occur when migrants are in custody after turning themselves in to authorities or being intercepted.

MORE INFORMATION: USA: 8-year-old migrant girl dies in Border Patrol custody, second since the end of Title 42

Migrants who arrive in the country without the necessary documentation to enter can remain in the facilities of the Border Patrol up to 72 hours while their cases are processed, but in practice, according to these NGOs, some stay “for a week or more”.

On their departure they denounce conditions “unsanitary in which they are denied basic hygiene, have no privacy even to go to the bathroom and must sleep on benches or on the floor”.

Many, “including children, report being denied food or water”, reads the text.

separated families

“If you keep complaining I’ll put you with the dogsan officer told a woman when she refused to undress during a pat-down, according to a complaint cited in the report.

Some families also suffer separations, although “the scale is not that massive” as during the term of the former Republican president donald trump.

Often happens “if agents find they fail a background check or want to prosecute them”.

From October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022, that is, during the term of the Democratic president Joe Bidenwho promised an immigration management “humane and orderly”, 145 migrant children were separated from their parents, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services US.

There have also been separations between spouses or between siblings.

ALSO SEE: Texas governor boasts of expelling 28,000 immigrants to other states

In February 2022, two unaccompanied underage brothers, whose names are not mentioned in the report, experienced it firsthand. The eldest, 17, told the KBI “who were brought in for separate processing and interrogation“but the agents accused him”to lie about his agethey saidthat his birth certificate was false” and they expelled him. “He did not know the whereabouts of his little brother.”, denounces the report.

The report does not take into account the investigations opened by the authorities on their own initiative and acknowledges that “many if not most“CBP Agents”are professionals who try to follow best practices”.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.