Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Safeguarding civil rights and civil liberties is elemental to all the work we do at DHS.
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Retention Memo to CBP Concerning Critical Incident Teams
CRCL opened complaints alleging potential violations of civil rights or civil liberties related to the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) Critical Incident Teams (CIT) regarding CIT allegedly involving themselves in criminal investigations without authority. The purpose of this memorandum is to notify CBP of the complaints, describe those allegations, and inform CBP that CRCL retained these complaints for investigation.
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Retention Memo to CBP Concerning Vehicle Pursuits
CRCL opened complaints alleging violations of civil rights or civil liberties resulting from incidents related to vehicle pursuits by CBP employees. Complaints alleged that CBP personnel unnecessarily engaged in vehicle pursuits at high rates of speeds that are unwarranted given the alleged crime(s), deployed vehicle immobilization devices (VID) or controlled tire deflation devices (CTDD), or pursuit intervention techniques (PIT) potentially leading to serious injury or death to suspect vehicle occupants. The purpose of this memorandum is to notify CBP of the complaints, describe those allegations, and inform CBP that CRCL retained these complaints for investigation.
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Retention Memo to USCIS Concerning Language Access Procedures and Protocols
CRCL opened the above-referenced complaints related to individuals who have made claims of language access violations during credible fear screenings with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The purpose of this memorandum is to notify USCIS that CRCL retained these complaints for investigation.
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Retention Memo to CBP Concerning Tactical Terrorist Response Team
The purpose of this memorandum is to notify CBP that CRCL conducted an investigation of CBP’s Tactical Terrorism Response Team (TTRT) training, activities, policies, and procedures, which included onsite investigations at the following air Ports of Entry: Washington Dulles International Airport and Boston Logan International Airport.
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Recommendations Memo Concerning Otero County Processing Center
CRCL conducted an investigation into conditions of detention for ICE detainees at the Otero County Processing Center in Chaparral, New Mexico. Between March 2011 and November 2011, CRCL received several complaints relating to a wide range of issues in regard to conditions of detention at the facility. In response to these complaints, CRCL conducted a site review at the facility from March 13-15, 2012. As part of the review, CRCL used four independent subject-matter experts: a medical consultant, a mental health consultant, an environmental health and safety consultant, and a penologist.
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Retention Memo Concerning Suicide Attempts
CRCL received four complaints alleging that the Office of Field Operations and U.S. Border Patrol within CBP have violated an individual's civil rights or civil liberties. The purpose of this memorandum is to notify CBP of the complaint and describe those allegations, inform CBP that CRCL will retain this complaint for investigation, and explain how CRCL will work with CBP during its investigation.
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Expert Recommendations Memo Concerning Suicide Prevention
CRCL conducted an investigation into attempted and successful suicides while in CBP custody. CRCL's onsite investigations occurred on March 28, 2017, and April 4-5, 2017, at the Brownsville Port of Entry, Marfa Border Patrol Station, Marfa Border Patrol Checkpoint, Rio Grande Valley Centralized Processing Center, and the McAllen Station Processing Center. As part of the review, CRCL reviewed policies and procedures of the Office of Field Operations and U.S. Border Patrol as they relate to suicide prevention and engaged the assistance of a subject matter expert in the field of suicide prevention in a custodial environment.
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Recommendations Memo Concerning Ensuring Meaningful Access for Indigenous Language Speakers
Pursuant to 6 U.S.C. § 345 and 42 U.S.C. § 2000ee-1, this memorandum provides policy recommendations to CBP regarding a complaint in which the complainant
alleges that CBP failed to provide him meaningful language access during the inspections process. -
Recommendations Memo Concerning Searches of Transgender Individuals
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide recommendations to update the CBP Office of Field Operations Personal Search Handbook and issue a muster instructing officers on the appropriate way to search transgender individuals consistent with the 2015 National Standards on Transport, Escort, Detention, and Search (TEDS).
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Supplemental Expert Recommendation Memo to ICE Concerning LaSalle Detention Facility
CRCL conducted an investigation into conditions of detention for ICE detainees at the LaSalle Detention Facility. CRCL's review focused in large part on operations in the areas of suicide prevention, medical care, and confinement. This supplemental memorandum focuses on findings regarding four detainee deaths that occurred at the LaSalle Detention Facility between January 23, 2016 and March 13, 2017.