United States Commission on Civil Rights

The State of Civil Rights at Immigration Detention Facilities United States Commission on Civil Rights

The purpose of this report is to comprehensively examine the U. S. Government's compliance with federal immigration laws and detention policies, and also detail evidence regarding possible infringement upon the constitutional rights afforded to detained immigrants. More specifically, this report examines the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its component agencies' treatment of detained immigrants in immigration holding, processing, and detention centers throughout the United States. Prior to writing this report, the Commission gathered facts and data to analyze whether DHS, its component agencies, and private detention corporations with whom the federal government contracts to detain immigrants were complying with the Performance Based National Detention Standards, Prison Rape Elimination Act Standards, the Flores Settlement Agreement and other related immigrant child detention policies, and the United States Constitution. During the Commission's January 30, 2015 briefing, the Commission received written and oral testimony from DHS immigration detention officials and advocates detailing the strengths, weaknesses, and constitutional and civil rights implications of the U. S. immigration detention system. In May 2015, the Commission visited Karnes Family Detention Center and Port Isabel Detention Centers - both located in Texas - to corroborate the written and oral evidence the Commission gathered. The Commission believes that this report is both instructive and useful to the U. S. Government and the public at large as a contribution to the public dialogue surrounding civil rights and constitutional issues in the U. S. immigration detention system. The Commission is confident that this report will aid in the ultimate resolution of those issues, and that one day the United States may truly live up to its reputation of being the land of the free.