This memorandum provides a summary of findings as well as policy recommendations regarding implementation of the Migrant Protection Protocols by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

CRCL received complaints alleging that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has violated individuals’ civil rights and civil liberties at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. The allegations raised and reviewed involved medical care, food, and disability access. 

CRCL conducted an investigation into conditions of detention for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) LGBTQ detainees at the Otero County Processing Center in Chaparral, New Mexico. The investigation focused on allegations received from the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, the Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, and the Santa Fe Dreamers Project.

CRCL conducted an onsite investigation into conditions of detention for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees at the Worcester County Jail in Snow Hill, Maryland. The onsite occurred on November 13-15, 2019, and was in response to complaints alleging civil rights and civil liberties violations related to general conditions of detention, medical care, and environmental health and safety at the facility.

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 investigation was in response to allegations received alleging 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.

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.

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.

CRCL received a complaint alleging abuses of the civil rights and civil liberties of individuals in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Pine Prairie Detention Center in Pine Prairie, Louisiana. CRCL reviewed several incidents where detainees expressed concern with general conditions at the facility resulting in wide-spread grievances in the areas of due process, discrimination based on national origin, and denial of recreation. More specifically, complaints involved allegations related to: quarantine and exposure to airborne illnesses resulting in denial of recreation,  violations of due process rights, national origin discrimination, prolonged segregation, physical, verbal, and mental abuse, and denial of legal access.

CRCL opened complaints alleging abuses of the civil rights and civil liberties of individuals in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Richwood Correctional Center in Richwood, Louisiana. The allegations raised and reviewed involved medical and mental health care, conditions of confinement, suicide prevention, detainee safety, segregation, the grievance system, and environmental health and safety.

CRCL opened complaints alleging that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) violated the civil rights and civil liberties of detainees at the Yuma Border Patrol Station, to include temporary soft-sided facilities that were constructed in June 2019 to address the influx, and the San Luis Port of Entry (POE) in Yuma, Arizona. The allegations included: inferior hold room conditions, such as inadequate food, drink, temperature control and bedding; lack of personal hygiene items; insufficient health screening and medical care; inappropriate family separation; inadequate record-keeping; inadequate telephone access; verbal and physical abuse; excessive time in custody; failure to return personal property upon departure from the CBP facility; and failure to provide reasonable accommodations to disabled persons at the POE.