Complaint by the ACLU to the Department of Homeland Security Denouncing Interior Checkpoint Abuses

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Complaint by ACLU of Arizona and ACLU Border Litigation Project to DHS Office of Inspector General and DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Denouncing Interior Checkpoint Abuses

On January 15, 2014, the ACLU of Arizona and the ACLU Border Litigation Project submitted an administrative complaint to DHS Office of Inspector General and DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties concerning abuses committed by Border Patrol agents at interior vehicle checkpoints in southern Arizona.  The complaint was submitted on behalf of 15 U.S. citizens, aged 6-69 years old, and detailed 12 incidents in which their rights were violated when they were stopped at 6 checkpoints over a period of a year and a half.

The complaint calls for the investigation of all of the incidents identified; a comprehensive review of all complaints regarding Border Patrol checkpoints over the past five years; a thorough review of Border Patrol checkpoint policies and practices to ensure that operations are in fact limited to briefly verifying citizenship and that agents are receiving guidance regarding the limits of their authority; and a review of all policies and procedures related to service canines, in light of widespread reports of “false alerts” by the dogs.

Counsel: ACLU of Arizona

Contact: James Lyall | ACLU of Arizona | 602.650.1854 | jlyall@acluaz.org