Federal Suit Against Border Patrol Detention Practices Moves Forward

*This is an update to a story that originated in June when a group of detained immigrants sued in Federal Court. The gist of their allegations is that by detaining them in harsh conditions the Border Patrol is intentionally punishing people involved in civil procedure. That’s against the Constitution. Homeland Security asked that the case be thrown out but a Federal Judge ruled that the case can move forward. VL

By Mónica Ortiz Quiroga, Fronteras

A lawsuit alleging inhumane treatment of detainees at U.S. Border Patrol stations in Arizona will move forward thanks to a ruling on Monday by a federal judge in Tucson.

People detained by the Border Patrol in Arizona nicknamed the holding cells where they’re initially processed “hieleras,” or ice boxes, describing the frigid temperatures inside.

In June, a coalition of immigrant rights organizations, including the National Immigration Justice Center and the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) saying that its detention practices at eight Arizona Border Patrol stations violate the constitution by intentionally punishing people involved in a civil procedure.

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