SOUTHERN BORDER, February 23, 2022 — Over the weekend, another person was killed by a border agent, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) wasted no time in undermining the investigation, underscoring ongoing concerns about the integrity of misconduct investigations at the nation’s largest law enforcement agency. The incident also raises questions about the role played by Border Patrol Critical Incident Teams (BPCITs), which may be the largest shadow police units operating in the federal government today. Continue reading

SOUTHERN BORDER, February 9, 2022 — Last month, ten House and Senate committee and subcommittee chairs sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting an investigation into the activities of Border Patrol’s Critical Incident Teams (BPCITs), which are believed to be operating without any authority and as cover-up teams to protect abusive border agents at the expense of the public.  Continue reading

SOUTHERN BORDER, January 24, 2022 — Today, ten House and Senate committee and subcommittee chairs sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting an investigation into the involvement of CBP’s Critical Incident Teams (CITs) along the southern border region.  Continue reading

SOUTHERN BORDER, December 15, 2021 — Six months ago a Border Patrol agent shot Marisol Garcia Alcantara on June 16, 2021 in Nogales, Arizona, while she was sitting in the back seat of a vehicle that Border Patrol agents detained. Now Marisol, with the help of her attorney, is filing a Federal Torts Claim Act (FTCA) claim against the Border Patrol. Despite CBP policy prohibiting the use of firearms solely to disable a vehicle, an agent fired a bullet at the vehicle into Marisol's head. Fortunately she survived to tell her story and seek justice. Continue reading

SOUTHERN BORDER, October 28, 2021 — Yesterday, the Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC) sent a letter calling on Congress to launch an investigation and oversight hearings into the unlawful operation of Border Patrol’s Critical Incident Teams (BPCITs). These teams act without congressional authority to obstruct justice, undermine public safety, and violate public trust. Continue reading

SOUTHERN BORDER — Today, the Department of Homeland Security announced a new standardized policy – effective immediately – that prevents Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials from engaging in law enforcement activities in or near  “protected locations” (formerly known as “sensitive locations”). The policy also expands the definition of protected locations to include places that had not been included before, such as school bus stops, social services establishments (such as domestic violence shelters), and disaster and emergency services locations, among others. Continue reading

Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, in an effort to avoid a government shutdown, Congress passed a stopgap spending bill that will continue the same levels of funding for immigration detention and enforcement approved under the Trump administration until a federal budget for Fiscal Year 2022 is finalized. After weeks of action from the Defund Hate coalition, including a video campaign and a letter signed by over 150 organizations urging the House and Senate to reject the Biden administration’s proposal of additional provisions, or “anomalies,” to allow ICE and CBP access to more funding, no increases to immigration enforcement spending were included in the short-term spending bill. Continue reading

  SOUTHERN BORDER, September 24, 2021 — Members of the delegation invited by DHS to tour the government’s operational response to Haitian migrants seeking protection near the Del Rio - Acuña International Bridge spoke about what they witnessed on Friday. The tour included leaders from community organizations, faith organizations, human rights organizations, and elected officials serving the Haitian community including the Family Action Network, Haitian American CDC, Faith in Action, Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center in Miami, Faith in Florida, Haitian Bridge, the Archdiocese of Miami, National Alliance for the Advancement of Haitian Professionals, and the Southern Border Communities Coalition. Continue reading

  September 21, 2021   President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20500   Dear Mr. President, The leadership of the Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC) write this letter to express our repugnance and strong objections to your administration’s adoption and continuation of cruel, unethical and illegal policies that inflict more harm on those arriving to our borders seeking protection, including the gross mishandling of Haitian refugees upon arrival at the U.S.-Mexico border, and in particular near the Del Rio, Texas, port of entry. Continue reading

© 2021 AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin Abandon Deterrence Model for Immigrants, Asylum Seekers, Groups Urge (Washington, DC, September 15, 2021) – Extreme heat in the United States in the summer of 2021 underscores the urgency of adopting a climate-informed approach to policies affecting border communities, migrants, and asylum seekers, a group of 68 rights organizations said today in a letter to the Biden administration. The groups include Human Rights Watch, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Southern Border Communities Coalition, the American Friends Service Committee, Amnesty International USA, and dozens of others. Continue reading