Skip to main content

Boyle Leads Bipartisan Letter Urging Federal Review of Abuse in Immigrant Detention Centers

August 21, 2018

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA-13) submitted a bipartisan letter signed by 56 Members of Congress to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services' Offices of the Inspector General regarding reports of physical and sexual abuse of detainees by guards and staff at immigrant detention centers. Specifically, the letter requests that the offices investigate these allegations and improve policies to prevent and deter detainee abuse in the future. Upon release of the letter, Congressman Boyle issued the following statement:

"The stories of abuse from detained immigrants are nothing short of horrific – they've been physically beaten while handcuffed, sexually assaulted, and left nude and shivering in solitary confinement. Just one such story is too many – but we have reason to believe this behavior may be widespread, even systemic. Yet, few are thoroughly investigated. Treating immigrant families in federal custody with dignity and respect and bringing an end to these appalling incidents must be a bipartisan concern of the highest order. I call on the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services to reform their policies to ensure that not another immigrant mother, father, or child has to endure what so many already have."

The letter is co-led by Congressman Ryan Costello (R-PA-06), and has been signed by Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-23), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ-03), Rep. Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr (D-GA-04), Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL-20), Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA-17), Rep. Bill Foster(D-IL-11), Rep. Gene Green (D-TX-29), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA-44), Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA-38), Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL-04), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-13), Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-CA-29), Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY-18), Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Rep. Val Demings (D-FL-10), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA-32), Rep. Robert Brady (D-PA-01), Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT-03), Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA-09), Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY-15), Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM-01), Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL-01), Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA-35), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA-33), Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY-07), Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI-01), Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX-33), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ-08), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA-27), Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ-10), Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-11), Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi (D-NY-03), Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA-51), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03), Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH-01), Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-RI-01), Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX-30), Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA-40), Del. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-MP), Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-02), and Rep. Anthony Brown (D-MD-04).

###