Immigrant children rest at a detention facility in Nogales, Arizona in 2014.
Two nonprofits that provide free legal services to migrants released reports last week and filed complaints with the federal government that allege a broad range of abuse and mistreatment experienced by children in Border Patrol custody.
Yesenia Ramales, senior legal assistant with Arizona’s Florence Project, said children they’ve offered legal services have described being subjected to hunger; being pushed, kicked, and punched by federal agents; brandishing of weapons to instill fear; lack of access to hygiene products and medical care; and verbal abuse.
“We filed a little bit over 300 complaints,” Ramales said. “One in 10 children will disclose physical abuse at the border, and then four in 10 will experience verbal abuse by Border Patrol when they're being detained. And so to us, this shows us that children should not be in custody of Border Patrol.”
They filed similar complaints over the last two decades, but the reports say children continue to report abuses.
Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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